The Best Laid Plans
by Rae D. Magdon
Summary: A year after her abduction and subsequent rescue, Tevos's life has settled into something resembling normalcy - or as normal as it can get with the Queen of Omega as her bondmate. However, with Liara about to give birth to her first daughter, Tevos finds herself reevaluating her choices while Aria tries to suppress the grief she thought she had already buried. Sequel to CoI.
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing:** Aria/Tevos, Liara T'Soni/FemShep

**Warning:** This is a work in progress, but knowing me, the usual warnings for D/s, strap-ons, etc. apply. There's also gonna be a conception scene, soooo... there's that.

**AN:** Hey all! You asked for it, so I've returned with a sequel to Conflict of Interest! But that's not all! It's also shameless advertising! My very first novel, _All The Pretty Things_, was published TODAY and is available now! I've published it along with my friend Sy Itha, who co-wrote the end of the novel with me when I had given up. Search 'All The Pretty Things + Rae D. Magdon' on amazon if you wanna check it out (you have to search my name too, something is weird with the search algorithms). There's also a link in my profile. Leave a review if you like it!

**. . .**

**The Best Laid Plans  
**

**. . .**

"How much longer until Shepard gets out of her meeting?" Tevos asked as Liara checked her Omnitool for the third time in as many minutes. They were currently seated at Apollo's café in the Presidium – not the fanciest restaurant the Citadel had to offer, but Liara retained a certain amount of nostalgia for the place, and had practically demanded they stop in for lunch. It had taken several minutes for them to pass through the autograph-seekers and well-wishers, but for the moment, the starstruck patrons of the café were allowing them to eat in peace.

Liara sighed, folding her arms over her swollen stomach. "Fifteen minutes. I hope you don't mind if I leave rather quickly once she calls. It's been... difficult to be apart from her."

"Apart from her? She was just with you this morning before she went to see Valern," Tevos said, looking up from her bowl. Her salad was mostly finished, although the grilled slices of fish on top had nearly made Liara sick when she first saw them. Fortunately, she had suppressed the reaction and adjusted quickly even as Tevos offered to box the meal and order something else.

"The last several months of my pregnancy have been difficult." Liara leaned back slightly in her seat, trying to get comfortable. "Even though I want to be around her nearly all the time, Shepard has become rather possessive."

Tevos had noticed. Aria was returning from Omega tomorrow after a two-week trip to check on her business assets, but during her absence, Tevos had spent a lot of time with her friends instead. Shepard had rarely been farther than arm's reach from her heavily pregnant bondmate. 'Hovering' was the only word to describe her behavior.

"Honestly, Shepard's constant worrying and the curious stares have been the least of my worries. Evading the reporters is the real problem. Every news station seems obsessed with when I'll go into labor. The new dress I wore three days ago sold out within an hour after the photos were posted at Westerlund. I panic whenever I remember that the entire world is watching me."

"I'm sorry it's gotten so bad," Tevos said. She had been in Liara's position a little less than a year ago, and knew how exhausting it was to be the target of constant speculation, fascination, and tasteless jokes. The past few months, however, had been almost peaceful for her, if a little overscheduled. The public had lost interest in her story for the moment, and Tevos's relationship with Aria had become less of a dangerous political scandal and more of an amusing curiosity.

The footage of Tevos's rescue, combined with several careful mentions of the resources Aria had contributed during the war and the alliance that the Council had formed with Omega, had done much to legitimize her in the public eye. Aria disliked the shift in her reputation on Thessia and the Citadel, but had tolerated it by murdering half of the Blood Pack over a disagreement about her cut of their profits. That had convinced the citizens of Omega, at least, that their Queen still had the asteroid under her leather-clad thumb.

"I don't suppose politely asking them to let me fade back in to obscurity would work, would it?" Liara asked wistfully. "So much has happened over the past several years, and I would not trade any of it, but sometimes I miss being an archaeologist. It was certainly much less stressful than being an unwilling celebrity." Her face faltered for a moment. "I just hope that all of this attention and stress won't harm my daughter." Liara's hand shifted, and she cradled her stomach protectively with one side of her arm.

"Have you decided on a name for her yet?" Tevos asked, hoping to distract Liara from her worries until Shepard arrived to comfort her.

Liara's face brightened, and her lips curved in a small but genuine smile. "Yes, we have. I'll tell you, on the condition that you don't let Tali know you know. Shepard and I love her so much, but..."

Tevos smirked. "Admiral Zorah is an insatiable gossip. I understand."

"She wouldn't be able to keep the news to herself. She and Garrus are almost as proud of this baby as we are, especially since we asked them to be 'godparents'. It's an Earth tradition," she explained upon seeing Tevos's confused look. "They act as guides and loving forces in the child's life."

"If Shepard's former crew is anything to judge by, your daughter will be surrounded by loving, supportive guardians."

Liara's smile faded for a moment, returning to its former seriousness. "Actually, that reminds me... There is something I need to ask you. Something important."

Tevos did not let her expression betray her curiosity. "Oh?" she said, watching as Liara's hand began moving in slow circles. Briefly, she wondered if the motion was deliberate, or an unconscious reflex.

"Even though the war is over and the two of us have tried to retreat from public life, Shepard and I cannot escape the legends people have constructed around us. There are many people in the galaxy who would like to see one or both of us dead." Liara paused, sucking nervously at her lower lip for a moment. "Shepard and I have discussed it at great length. If something should happen to us, our daughter will need a guardian. We have come to trust you and Aria a great deal..."

This time, Tevos could not conceal her surprise. Her eyes shot open. "I'm honored that you would ask," she said, feeling her chest constrict slightly with a strange mixture of feelings she could not quite sort out. Strangely, the word 'yes' already hovered on the tip of her tongue. "But are you sure that's a wise decision?" she forced herself to ask instead.

"As much as we love Garrus and Tali, both of them have relatively short lifespans compared with ours. If something happened to us, they would only be able to raise our daughter to the adolescence, if they were lucky. Our other crewmates, Ashley Williams and Miranda Lawson and the rest, all have similarly short lives, as well as dangerous professions. We considered Wrex briefly, but even though we expect all of our future children to undergo the Rite on Tuchanka and join Clan Urdnot, we aren't sure we want them to live there permanently."

Tevos opened her mouth to speak, but Liara continued instead, her urgency displayed clearly in her eyes. "We would not ask if we did not think you would be the most loving, compassionate mother that we could hope for, Thea. And despite her faults –" Liara's voice trailed off for a moment, "– her numerous, glaring faults... Aria is very protective of those she cares about. I'm confident our daughter will be near the top of that incredibly short list." Liara removed her hands from her stomach, sitting forward in her chair. "Please, Thea. It would mean so much to both of us."

Even though several more objections were already swirling around in her head, Tevos deliberately silenced them. Instead, she examined her emotions. They told her that there was only one answer she could give. "Of course we will."

Liara's face immediately brightened. "Goddess, thank you. I'll send you both copies of the paperwork to sign as soon as it's ready."

Tevos smiled, hoping that the shaking in her hands did not show. She was struck by the enormity of what she had just agreed to. During her centuries of life, she had imagined having daughters of her own with some regularity, but mostly in the abstract. Seeing Liara nearly bursting with new life and the possibility, however remote, of being responsible for a child herself had tapped a wellspring of emotions. "I'll sign it," she said, hoping her voice remained steady.

"Her name is Athena," Liara said, surprising Tevos with the non sequitur. "I nearly forgot to tell you. We wanted to give her a human name, but Shepard insisted that it needed to 'sound asari', whatever that means. Something about vowels... Anyway, she was worried that our daughter would be teased on Thessia if her name was too alien. The poor thing will have a hard enough time fitting in with the two of us as her parents."

"The people betting on her name will be disappointed. That one didn't even make the list."

"It isn't particularly common," Liara admitted. "However, considering she is named after an ancient human goddess of wisdom, we thought it would be a proper fit. Also, I'm hoping it will discourage her from becoming a Commando or joining the military like her father," she added in a whisper.

"What about our kid's father?" a familiar voice drawled beside them, startling both Liara and Tevos.

Liara's face melted into a look of pure bliss when she saw Shepard, and she stood up, ignoring the way Shepard tried to pull out her chair for her and throwing her arms around her bondmate. "Goddess, I missed you," she said, burying her face in Shepard's neck.

"I was only gone for about four hours," Shepard said, but she indulged Liara's desire for touch, pulling her close even when the swell of her stomach shoved uncomfortably below her ribs. "So, did you spill the beans?" she asked, running her hand up and down Liara's back.

"I didn't eat beans today, Shepard," Liara said, backing away slightly and gesturing at her empty plate. "I ordered a sandwich, and I certainly did not spill it."

"Not exactly what I meant, but close enough," Shepard muttered. "Anyway, did you tell Tevos our daughter's name like you said you were going to?"

Tevos smiled and nodded, standing up from her chair as well. "She did. I think it's a lovely choice."

"I also spoke to her about taking guardianship of Athena if anything happened to us," Liara said, giving Tevos a radiant smile. "She agreed."

"Liara and I are going to do everything in our power to _not_ die violent, premature deaths, by the way," Shepard added. Even though she had been uncomfortable with Liara practically draped over her before, she could not resist reaching out to cup the swell of her bondmate's stomach. "But thank you for saying yes. It's a relief to know the kid will have someone if the unthinkable happens."

Suddenly, identical smiles spread across Shepard and Liara's faces, and both of them looked at each other. "She just kicked," Liara explained, turning back to Tevos. The councilor was suddenly glad that Aria was not arriving home until tomorrow morning. She surely would have made some dry comment about their insipid sappiness in order to ruin the moment.

"May I...?" she found herself asking before she even realized what was happening.

"Of course." Liara removed Shepard's hand and stepped forward, taking Tevos's instead and pressing it over her abdomen. "You don't have to ask, considering everything else of mine you've touched."

Tevos laughed. "I suppose you're right." Liara was warm even beneath the fabric of her dress, and Tevos felt the heat sear her palm. Her lips spread in a smile that was just as wide as Liara's when she felt small, rhythmic taps against her hand. For a moment, her heart felt indescribably light, and she blinked her eyes to ease the sting that had started in them. "Goddess, she's beautiful, and I haven't even met her yet," she said, hoping the slight strain in her voice was not obvious.

Shepard grinned. "Just like her mother," she said. Her hand had found new purchase on Liara's backside, and she gave it an affectionate squeeze, making Liara yelp softly in surprise. The kicking against Tevos's hand sped up, and she instinctively began making soothing circles to try and quiet the baby's flurry of activity.

When she refocused her attention on Liara's face, she caught the maiden gazing at her with a thoughtful look. "Thea? Are you all right? Something about you seems... off... today."

"I'm fine," Tevos said, instinctively trying to hide the confused emotions that were rapidly bubbling up to the surface behind a mask of calm. "I'm just a little overwhelmed. All good feelings, I promise."

"All right," Shepard said, although she did not look convinced. "Do you want us to stick around for a little longer? We can be late to meet Aethyta, she won't mind –"

Tevos shook her head, retracting her hand somewhat reluctantly. "I wouldn't dream of keeping Matriarch Aethyta waiting."

The three of them paid the bill, leaving an extra large tip to make up for the commotion they had caused, and said their goodbyes, exchanging embraces and kisses. Then, Liara and Shepard exited the café, trying their best to be discreet in case anyone else decided they wanted an autograph or a holo. Tevos watched them go, noticing the way Shepard's arm was wrapped around the back of Liara's waist in support.

With a flash of clarity, she realized why her happiness for them was so bittersweet. A sinking feeling began in her chest, dropping to the pit of her stomach. She wanted what Shepard and Liara had. She had thought about having daughters before, but Tevos had deliberately chosen to wait, focusing on her career instead. None of her relationships had ever been serious enough to consider adding a child, and although single parenthood was hardly uncommon for her species, it did not appeal to her.

But now...

Now, she had Aria. Unfortunately, Aria's thoughts on children swung back and forth between vehement denials and casual, almost joking mentions of their future daughters that Tevos could not begin to interpret. Aria knew that Tevos wanted children with her, but also that she did not expect them. Tevos had bonded with her knowing that it was not a likely possibility, but the course of their relationship had taken her so completely by surprise that she had not cared. Suddenly, she found herself reconsidering.

"Things will be better when Aria gets home," she said to herself, checking to make sure that she had her credit chit and her Omni-tool strapped to her wrist before leaving the café. "And the rest will go away after Liara has the baby." But Tevos did not believe her own words. Now that the seed had been planted in her head, she doubted that it could be uprooted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

When Aria entered their shared apartment on the Citadel, she looked around the darkened entryway with confusion. Tevos normally greeted her at the front door after she returned from her trips. More often than not, she was waiting on her knees, completely naked except for her collar and a set of restraints draped over her bare thighs. "I was expecting a welcome home kiss at least," Aria muttered, trying not to feel too put out. Tevos had not answered any of her texts either for the past few hours, but she had thought that was because her bondmate was preparing for her arrival. Apparently, she had been mistaken.

Frowning with disappointment, Aria closed the door behind her and used the touchscreen to activate the lights. She did not know why Tevos had drawn the shades down, either. Although their apartment looked out over the always-bright Presidium, it was still late afternoon, far too early for her bondmate to be asleep.

"Babe?" she called out as she wandered further into the apartment, starting down the hall to the bedroom. "Are you home?" The lights were off there as well, and her forehead creased in concern. According to the schedule Tevos had forwarded her this morning, she should have been home by now.

Quietly, Aria padded down the hallway and pushed open the bedroom door. Even though no sounds were coming from inside, it would not hurt to check. She was relieved to see Tevos sitting in the middle of the bed, resting in between a pile of pillows with the covers pulled up to her neck.

A soft smile spread across Tevos's face when she noticed Aria in the doorway, but she did not leap out of bed to greet her. "Welcome home," she said, and Aria could not help noticing that her voice was slightly lower and throatier than usual, although it did not sound particularly seductive. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time. I should have been waiting for you."

Although Aria couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, she accepted Tevos's explanation, stripping out of her jacket and tossing it onto the floor as she headed over to the bed. Then, she perched on the edge of the mattress, leaning forward for a kiss. The one she received was a little shorter than she would have liked, but it was still comforting after two weeks of nothing but holo calls on her Omnitool. As entertaining as they were, they could not compare to the warmth and softness of her bondmate's mouth.

"It's all right," Aria murmured against Tevos's lips as the kiss ended. On impulse, she placed one more nip over the white tattoo line that split her lip and chin. "I figured you had to be here somewhere. Why were you hiding in the bedroom, anyway?"

Tevos shook her head and let the covers fall, revealing the naked expanse of her torso. "I wasn't hiding," she protested. "I was just a little tired after visiting with Shepard and Liara this morning."

"How are they?" Aria asked. "Does T'Soni look ready to pop yet?"

A flicker of sadness flashed across Tevos's face, and Aria barely caught it before her lover managed to cover the moment of pain with a serene, placid expression. "Just about," Tevos said, kicking her legs out from beneath the covers and scooting closer to Aria. She ran her hands down Aria's bare arms once before letting them slide along her curves, re-learning them with her palms. "Do you want me to help with your corset?"

Aria nodded and turned to offer Tevos her back. "Please." Although she could remove the garment without help, it wasn't a very dignified process.

Tevos placed a kiss on the bare skin of her throat before beginning to undo the straps and hooks, letting the corset fall open in a 'v' at the back. Soon, it had opened far enough to reveal the soft expanse of purple skin stretched between Aria's broad shoulders. Tevos couldn't resist trailing a few more kisses there too before she pushed the corset off of Aria's shoulders completely.

Aria sighed with relief, but she paused before removing her pants, staring down thoughtfully into her lap. Honestly, her plan had been to jump Tevos at the door and fuck her until she couldn't walk, or even form a sentence. Both of them definitely needed it after their time apart. However, her bondmate seemed to be in a strange, reflective, almost depressed mood, and Aria wasn't sure that Tevos would welcome her advances.

Eventually deciding that sex might be a good option to take Tevos's mind off of whatever was bothering her, she pulled down her zipper and stood up, pushing her pants over her hips. It did not take long to squeeze out of them, and the appreciative look that Tevos gave her as she stripped was encouraging. Hopefully, sharing a meld would shed some light on whatever she was thinking about.

"Missed me, huh?" Aria drawled, giving Tevos a look to let her know that she had been caught staring.

This time, Tevos's smile was a little brighter. "A great deal," she murmured, scooting to the edge of the bed. "I always do when you go away."

"Care to show me just how much?"

Aria let the offer hang between them, half expecting Tevos to turn her down. However, she was pleasantly surprised when her bondmate climbed off of the bed, pressing one hand between her breasts and forcing her to walk backwards. "Always," she murmured, dropping to her knees once Aria was braced against the nearest wall.

Even though it wasn't what she had been expecting, Aria was never one to turn down an orgasm when it was offered. She ran her fingers over the familiar shape of Tevos's crest, but didn't tighten her grip. Tevos did not waste any time. She cupped both of Aria's hips in her hands, pinning her harder against the wall and forcing her to spread her thighs. "I've missed this," she sighed as she leaned forward, dipping her head and running her tongue between Aria's lips in a flat, upward swipe.

Although Aria was normally the dominant one in their sexual relationship, there were times when Tevos was consumed with an intense, focused need to please her. In those moments, Aria was all too happy to relinquish control. She removed her hand from the back of Tevos's head so that she wouldn't be tempted to push, reaching out to grip the edge of the nearby nightstand instead.

When warm lips sealed around her clit and began tugging mercilessly at the stiff ridge, Aria spread her legs wider, letting Tevos take whatever she needed. She gasped as two fingers pressed upwards, sinking inside of her almost effortlessly and curling forward with aching familiarity. Tevos always knew exactly how to touch her.

"Fuck," she muttered as she felt her lover's hands and lips work in tandem, bringing her quickly and forcefully to the edge of a climax far before she was ready to give in. Tevos had only been between her legs for less than a minute, and the thought of coming so quickly was almost embarrassing, even if they had spent the last two weeks apart. "You're not going to listen if I tell you to slow down, are you?"

Tevos responded by speeding up, grazing her teeth against the hood of Aria's clit as her fingers shifted from a curling motion to a steady thrusting rhythm. She still managed to hit the sensitive spot she had been pressing against before with every push inside, and Aria struggled to keep her hips still. When she felt the tickle of Tevos's mind against hers, she was too close to resist. She lowered her walls and allowed her bondmate's consciousness to flood into hers.

_'I missed you...'_ she thought, and she felt a responding pulse of comfort and happiness from Tevos. However, Aria could sense that she was walling off a larger part of her mind than usual, taking extra time to reinforce the barriers that she normally lowered without a second thought. Her instincts had been right – something had definitely upset Tevos, and since her bondmate was guarding her mind so carefully, it was doubtful that she would be able to find out what it was even if she tried. Aria was physically stronger than Tevos, and her biotics were far more powerful, but Tevos had spent centuries studying how to protect her thoughts.

Tevos noticed her hesitation and added a third finger, gasping as she felt the echo of the burning stretch she had just caused. _'Don't worry about that now,'_ she thought, hoping that an orgasm would be enough to keep Aria from prying. _'Just enjoy this.'_

Aria surrendered, pushing her hips forward against Tevos's mouth as she released in a flood. Her inner walls shivered around the fingers inside of her, trying to pull them deeper as her clit pulsed against Tevos's lips. She looked down in time to see Tevos slide a hand between her own legs and grind against the heel of her palm, and the sight sent her flying through several powerful contractions.

Not satisfied with making Aria come only once, Tevos began sucking harder as soon as she felt Aria's release begin fading. She ignored the burn in her wrist and buried her thoughts deep, latching on to Aria's pleasure like a lifeline and using it to draw strength and comfort through their bond. Selfishly, she let her tongue slide down to swirl around Aria's entrance, placing the pad of her thumb over the slick, stiff point of her clit to make up for the loss. The taste of Aria's orgasm was enough to make her forget, and she forced her tongue deeper, determined to have every drop.

This time, Aria came in Tevos's mouth, covering her lips and chin with wetness as she throbbed beneath her bondmate's thumb. She cried out, nearly knocking the nightstand over as she scrambled for purchase. Her hips pushed forward, but Tevos managed to predict her movements and follow her, never letting up. The hand between her own legs was forgotten, but she moaned against Aria's wet, swollen flesh as she shared her pleasure.

Finally, Tevos pulled away, apparently satisfied enough to sever the meld. Its ending was more abrupt than usual, which only increased Aria's suspicion. She frowned even as her stomach muscles trembled with powerful aftershocks. "I don't suppose you want to talk about what just happened?" she asked as she watched Tevos wipe her lips with the back of her hand and begin cleaning her knuckles. Aria could still feel her inner walls clutching in protest at the loss of her fingers.

"Not really," Tevos said after she had pulled her hand away. "I need to sort through it myself."

Aria's eyes narrowed. Normally, she was the one who held things back, who tried to appear reserved instead of weak, and the sudden role reversal made her incredibly uncomfortable. It had nothing to do with the way Tevos had just fucked her and everything to do with the obvious secret she was keeping. She suddenly had more insight into how Tevos felt when she refused to discuss things that were bothering her.

"You have to give me something, or I'm going to jump to the worst case scenario." Although Aria would never admit it aloud, both of them knew what that meant – Tevos changing her mind, deciding that their relationship was too difficult to maintain, and leaving.

Tevos's expression became more conciliatory as she stood up, and she ran her hand over Aria's cheek briefly, leaning forward to kiss her. Aria allowed it, but even though tasting herself on Tevos's mouth usually aroused her, she was too distracted to enjoy it now. "I didn't mean to upset you," Tevos said, pulling away with a soft sigh. "I promise to discuss it with you once I've decided what to say."

"Did something happen when you met with Shepard and Liara? You seemed fine when I called this morning."

Slightly annoyed by her bondmate's perceptiveness, Tevos decided to tell Aria at least a fraction of the truth. "The two of them approached me with a request today. They want us to be their daughter's guardian if anything happens to them."

Aria's eyes flew open in surprise. Her concern for Tevos quickly burned into anger. "What did you tell them?" she asked harshly. Even before Tevos spoke, she already knew what answer she had given.

"I told them yes."

"And you didn't even think about asking me for my opinion first?" Aria snapped. Although she managed to restrain her biotics, her body was suddenly alive with energy, and she had no way to expend it. She began pacing back and forth next to the bed, needing to move, to put some distance between her and Tevos. "Exactly when were you going to tell me that you agreed to this?"

"Aria, they only asked a few hours ago, and you were away..." Tevos resisted the temptation to reach out and halt Aria's pacing, knowing that her touch would not be welcome. Her heart felt like it was dropping through the pit of her stomach, and she had no idea how she had managed to ruin things so quickly.

Aria suddenly halted, turning to face her with burning eyes. They still held traces of the meld in them, but Tevos could tell that there was something besides anger there. It took her several moments to recognize grief – the same grief she had felt ever since her meeting with Shepard and Liara. "I have no idea why they even asked," Aria said slowly, feeling the words out. "I've already proved that I'm a shit parent. They know what happened to my own daughter. And after that, they want to put me in charge of theirs? The two of them are stupider than I thought."

"Aria..." Tevos whispered, but it was too late. Aria had already started gathering her clothes, using her biotics to make the process faster.

"I need to leave," Aria said, and Tevos noticed the catch in her voice, the trembling of her hands as she began pulling up her leather pants.

"When will you be coming back?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Aria did not even pause as she re-hooked her corset. "When I've buried this again." She pulled one of her boots out from where it was lodged half way underneath the bed, shoving it roughly onto her foot. Her eyes and throat burned, but she deliberately ignored it, just as she ignored the cold, dead weight settling in the center of her chest. She needed to drink, to find that stupid couch in Purgatory that she had loathed while she was trapped on the Citadel during the war and sit there until the brandy or exhaustion made everything go away.

"Aria, please –"

Aria did not bother listening to the rest of Tevos's sentence. She picked up her jacket and walked back out of the bedroom, closing the door solidly behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **In answer to a frequent question I've been receiving - you can read **_All The Pretty Things_** on any electronic device. Amazon offers a free platform that lets you read it without a kindle. I don't even own one myself. xD And thank you to those who have bought a copy and written to tell me how much you enjoyed it! The encouraging words are much appreciated. Expect a sequel in a year, and a Mass Effect mirroverse-inspired novel in December.

**. . .**

**Chapter Three:**

"I suddenly remember why I hate this place," Aria muttered as she scanned the club, ignoring the flashing strobe lights and the obnoxiously loud voices swelling up from the dance floor and filtering down from the bar. It had been a long time since her last visit to Purgatory, but unfortunately, it was still the least-worst choice on the Citadel.

That wasn't saying much. The rum tasted like piss, the décor was an assault on the eyes, and the music was so incredibly distasteful that Aria was surprised the inebriated patrons were able to dance to it at all. Worst of all, it didn't even have any strippers, just scantily-clad waitresses simultaneously balancing trays and trying to dodge the amorous attentions of the drunk club-goers.

Aria clutched the bottle she was currently nursing by its neck, enjoying the coolness of the sweating glass even if the flavor left much to be desired. She honestly didn't care as long as it got her drunk, and she definitely needed to be drunk in order to process the news Tevos had just given her.

"What in the Galaxy prompted her to tell them yes?" she asked, even though no one else was around to answer her. Her henchmen – Sheerk and a fairly new batarian today, since Grizz was currently still on Omega – were busy guarding the stairs to the platform and couch that she had reclaimed. After bringing her the bottle she had asked for, they had made themselves scarce, picking up on her foul mood immediately.

Honestly, Aria could not begin to follow her bondmate's thought process. She knew that Tevos wanted children, at least in the abstract, but she had thought that when Tevos agreed to bond with her, she was going in to the relationship with the assumption that they would never have any. Even the thought of hypothetically adopting someone else's child on the off-chance that they croaked had been enough to send her scurrying to the nearest club to drink her problems away.

Aria took another long drink from the bottle, looking down in surprise when she realized that it was already half-empty. She was probably going to have a headache in the morning. Sometimes, it was difficult to believe that Liselle had only been dead for a few years now. There were moments when the pain still felt as fresh as the day she had walked into the apartment and found her daughter's naked corpse on the bloodsoaked bed. She hadn't cried then – she had coldly ordered her guards to cover up the body and turned away, latching on to fantasies of revenge as a way to deal with the loss. Her relationship with Liselle had been far from perfect, even estranged at times, but that had not stopped her from loving her daughter and grieving after her death.

Some of her rage had been soothed when she discovered that Shepard had killed Liselle's murderer. Her only complaint was that his death had taken minutes instead of days, and that she had not been the one to make the killing blow. Still, she found it fitting that he had been stabbed with a blade and left to bleed out on the floor of the Illusive Man's base. It was probably how she would have chosen to end Kai Leng herself if she had gotten the chance, although she would have slit his throat in tribute instead of stabbing him through the gut.

Thinking of Shepard made Aria's brow furrow. This was all her fault, Aria decided. Hers and Liara's. The prospect of being parents must have made them both stupid. Maternal instinct, or some such foolishness. She was a criminal. A drug lord. A violent, unrepentant murderer. On top of all that, she owned the most profitable strip club and brothel in the Terminus System. She didn't regret any of those things, but Aria would be the first to admit that they made her a terrible choice for a guardian. She had loved her daughter, but that didn't mean she had been a good parent the last time around.

"It's never going to happen anyway," she told herself, resting the wet bottle on top of her leather-clad thigh and keeping her fingers wrapped around the top. "If the Reapers, Cerberus, and the Shadow Broker couldn't kill Shepard, nothing can... Shit, and now I'm talking to myself." Briefly, Aria wondered if draining nearly an entire bottle of rum was enough of an excuse for her behavior, even if it wasn't Noverian.

Trying to distract herself, Aria scanned the club again, eyeing one of the waitresses as she passed underneath the platform. Unfortunately, in her current mood, she couldn't even bring herself to enjoy the flesh on display. It only reminded her of Tevos, who was probably still waiting for her back at the apartment. Aria felt her stomach heave slightly as she remembered the desperate sound of Tevos's voice asking her to stay, but she blamed it on the alcohol.

Her guilt got the better of her, and she reluctantly pulled out her Omnitool, scanning through her missed calls. There was only one, and Tevos had not left a message. Considering she had been gone for over three hours now, Aria was surprised at Tevos's restraint. Her bondmate had always been good at giving her space when she needed it. That was one of the reasons they worked so well.

After staring at the missed call log for several long moments, Aria deleted Tevos's flashing number and switched it off, taking another deep drink from the bottle in her other hand. When she noticed it was finally empty, she set it aside, deciding not to ask for another one. She needed a few minutes. Just a few more minutes to collect her thoughts before she went back to their shared apartment and tried to make amends. Even though Tevos owed her an apology first, Aria knew that running out on her bondmate instead of staying to discuss the problem had been a poor choice. It certainly wasn't the first poor choice she had made, or the worst, and she doubted it would be the last.

Once she was certain that she could stand without any visible signs of her drunkenness, Aria left her lounging position on Purgatory's inferior couch, leaving the empty bottle behind as she strode purposefully towards the stairs. Sheerk and the new batarian seemed a little surprised that she was ready to leave after only a few hours, but they silently fell into step behind her. Both of them knew better than to question the Queen of Omega's decisions.

Aria sent them away once she arrived at the rapid transit kiosk outside of Purgatory, ordering them back to her Skycar as she purchased a cab for herself. Honestly, she didn't want company on the drive back, even her ever-silent bodyguards. She needed those last few precious moments alone to bury her feelings again.

. . .

Tevos stared down at the glowing orange screen of her Omnitool in the dark, wondering whether it was too soon to try and call Aria again. She had given in to her fears and insecurity once, but feelings of guilt had crept up on her immediately afterward. Aria had made it very clear when she stormed out of the apartment that she wanted to be alone. That had hurt, especially after the weeks they had already spent apart.

Brushing away Aria's contact information with a slide of her finger, she opened up a fresh game of Krogan vs. Asari. She didn't really feel like playing, but couldn't bring herself to do anything else while she waited. She was too wired to sleep, and too upset to even think about sorting through the sea of files that always seemed to end up on her terminal whenever she took an afternoon off.

Tevos winced as harsh krogan laughter blasted from her wrist, and she quickly lowered the volume before setting up her defense grid. Since she was starting on the first level, the process was automatic, and her mind began to wander. This was mostly her fault, she realized. Aria's anger was completely justified, especially since she had given Shepard and Liara an answer without even consulting her first. Since the start of their relationship, she and Aria had struggled with acting as part of a unit instead of as individuals. Perhaps it was because they were both naturally headstrong, although the many centuries they had spent alone probably didn't help.

"I owe her an apology," she said aloud to the empty room as she watched her Commandos gun down the krogan infantry from the safety of their towers.

As if in answer to her words, the back door to the apartment opened, letting a widening column of light stream in from the hallway. Tevos looked up, ignoring the sounds from her game as the level ended on its own. She shut off her Omnitool and curled her legs tighter beneath her body, waiting for Aria to step inside. She didn't smile, but some of the tightness in her face seemed to relax.

"Thea?" Aria said her name hesitantly, and a little thickly. Tevos could tell she had been drinking, but knew that the average observer wouldn't have noticed. She stood up, padding over to her bondmate on soft feet.

"I'm glad you came home," she whispered, hovering a few inches outside of Aria's personal space, unsure if her touch would be welcome when both of their feelings were still so raw. Fortunately, Aria made the decision for her, pulling her into an embrace and running her hands along her back.

"I needed to think," she said over Tevos's shoulder, tightening her hug so that their bodies were pressed flush together.

Tevos couldn't resist. She let her face fall into Aria's neck, inhaling her familiar scent and trying to ignore the tears that pricked at her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, her lips shifting against Aria's skin. "I should have thought about how you would react before I told them yes... it wasn't my decision to make alone."

"You're right. It wasn't," Aria said. The strain in her voice was obvious.

"I'll talk to them if you want. Take back my answer –" Tevos began, but Aria interrupted her.

"No. You don't have to. Nothing is going to kill either of them in the next hundred years anyway, even if it means I have to put some of my own people on them whenever they're in the Terminus system."

Tevos sighed, letting some of her weight rest against Aria's chest. She hadn't expected her apology to be accepted so quickly, but it did little to alleviate her guilt. "I never wanted to hurt you," she said, lifting her head so that she could see Aria's face. "I didn't even think..."

Aria swallowed and averted her eyes. "It wasn't just because of you. I couldn't understand why Shepard and Liara asked us in the first place, either."

"Because of Liselle?" Tevos stroked the side of Aria's arm, taking her bondmate's gloved hand in her own and lacing their fingers together. Normally, she allowed Aria to initiate conversations about her lost daughter, but this time, she knew that she needed to broach the subject herself.

"Because of who I am. I'm a criminal. My daughter was brutally murdered because of me. It was the only time I ever regretted..." Aria could not finish the sentence. She stared blankly past Tevos's head into the darkness of the front room.

Tevos squeezed Aria's hand tighter. "I don't know what it's like to lose a daughter. I can't even imagine. But... I would like to meld with you. If you want to. If you think it would help." Her request was halting and uncertain, but sincere. Aria didn't answer. Instead, she let out a long, slow breath and relaxed her mental barriers, initiating the joining that she and Tevos should have shared as soon as she returned from Omega.

This time, when she slipped into Tevos's mind, there were no uncomfortable walls. There was only love, concern, and the familiar bite of guilt. Still, Tevos's emotions were nothing compared with the maelstrom that was Aria. Her grief was so powerful that it felt like a physical blow, and both of them reeled as she shared it, backing into the door to brace themselves.

_'I should have taught her –'_

_A memory. Aria with a child's hand in hers, stepping over the body of someone she had just shot with her pistol. The thought that soon, she would need to teach Liselle to use one. It was practically a requirement on Omega..._

_'I should have protected her –'_

_A sickening shade of purple staining the sheets, trailing down from the open wound in her throat, but the blood wasn't running. Her face was blank. She was lifeless. There was no use checking._

_'I should have loved her more –'_

_'No.'_ This time, Tevos's thoughts broke through the fog of pain. _'You did love her.'_ She did not offer excuses, and did not try to spin justifications for Aria's mistakes and faults. She just repeated the truth, hoping desperately that her bondmate would believe it. _'You did love her.'_

And Aria, who had so much difficulty admitting that she could love anything at all – even her daughter, even her bondmate – began to weep, allowing herself to become lost in her grief instead of blunting its edge with thoughts of violence and revenge. She had not dealt with this after Liselle's murder. She had put it off, ignored it, and buried it until she could convince herself that it did not matter anymore. But it did matter. Her pain mattered.

_The grave was nothing extravagant, not because Aria couldn't afford it, but because she did not want to draw any attention to what she had lost. She was thankful for her jacket. It helped keep off the unnatural chill as the clouds covered Thessia's sun. Or maybe it wasn't the sun, she thought as a few rays broke through. Maybe her heart had stopped, and she just hadn't noticed._

Eventually, exhaustion forced her to pull back from the meld, and she opened her eyes to see Tevos's crest tucked beneath her chin. She ran her hand over her lover's hip, pushing them both off from the wall. It still felt like she was nursing an open wound, but for the first time, it felt clean. "Thank you," she said, tucking her hand under Tevos's chin and bringing her in for a brief kiss. Tevos kissed her back, and Aria smiled against her lips.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

The next morning, Tevos woke to streams of sunlight warming her face through the bedroom window and open-mouthed kisses on the back of her neck. She opened her eyes, tattooed lips curling in a smile as she turned in Aria's arms. "Good morning," she murmured as Aria pulled her closer, resting her cheek against the pillow.

"Good morning," Aria said, smiling back and running her hands across the soft skin of Tevos's shoulders. "Thank you for last night." After their exhausting, emotional meld, the two of them had stripped and fallen asleep tangled together, too worn out to do anything else.

Tevos leaned in for a proper kiss, pressing her mouth to Aria's. "You don't need to thank me. That's what I'm here for," she said after they broke apart, pulling back just enough to speak. "I wanted to help."

"Well, I feel much better this morning." Aria stretched languidly, pushing away the covers that had been gathered around her hips. She smirked when she noticed her bondmate's eyes focus on the expanse of her newly revealed flesh. "In fact, I think I'm in need of your services."

Tevos propped herself up on her elbow, brushing her own side of the covers away to reveal the curve of her hip. "Really?" she purred, narrowing her eyes slightly. "My services?"

"It was a long two weeks on Omega," Aria said expectantly. "You owe me."

Tevos held her seductive pose, but her heart rate spiked. Obviously, Aria wanted to make up for lost time. She wasn't surprised when Aria pounced on top of her, pinning her to the mattress by her wrists, but she pretended to cry out in shock and dismay as she allowed her bondmate to trap her. "Owe you?" she said, narrowing her eyes defiantly even as her smile grew wider. "I think that you owe me, dear heart. You were the one who went away."

"You definitely owe me," Aria growled, letting go of Tevos's left wrist and forcing her willing captive's knee to hook around her waist. "Your job is to service me. You haven't been able to do so for two weeks."

"I went down on you last night!" Tevos protested even as she wrapped her leg tighter around Aria's hip, pulling their bodies closer. "Doesn't that count?"

Aria shook her head, leaning down until their faces were hovering an inch apart. She spoke slowly and deliberately, making sure that Tevos could see her lips move as they formed the words. "That wasn't even getting started. I'm thinking at least two orgasms for every day I was gone by the end of tomorrow. So, twenty-eight –"

"Twenty six," Tevos corrected her, even though she knew that her disobedience was bound to earn her a punishment. Aria silenced her with a kiss, pushing forward with her tongue and tightening her grip on Tevos's wrist. At first, Tevos made a muffled sound of protest into her mouth, but eventually, she yielded, stroking Aria's tongue with her own and coaxing it deeper.

When Aria felt a slender, toned thigh slide between her legs, offering her purchase, she ground down and nipped Tevos's lower lip, pulling at it sharply. Finally, she let go with a soft pop. "If you can't behave, I'll have to silence that mouth of yours by filling it with something," she warned, rubbing herself above Tevos's knee. Her bondmate's other leg was still wrapped tight around her waist.

"That isn't exactly a punishment," Tevos panted, staring up at Aria with a hopeful and slightly defiant look in her eyes. "Besides, I'm sure you missed my mouth while you were gone..."

"You missed my cock more," Aria shot back, running her nails along the side of Tevos's thigh before throwing it off her hip and rolling over to begin rummaging in the dresser. Tevos took the opportunity to run her hands along Aria's naked back and side, tweaking a firm nipple as Aria transitioned onto her hands and knees to get a better look inside the top drawer. "You're going to pay for all of this once I strap up," she growled, but Tevos only took that as encouragement. She cupped both of Aria's breasts in her hands, enjoying the way the rapidly hardening tips pressed into her palms.

Finally, with a triumphant cry, Aria found what she was looking for. She sat back on her heels, smirking down at Tevos as she held up the purple, double-sided shaft between them. "If you hadn't been so disobedient, I might have let you put this in," she said, lowering it between her legs and dragging the blunt, shorter end between her lips. They were already glistening because of their short tussle on top of the covers, and it only took a few passes to coat the toy with wetness.

Tevos moaned low in her throat as she watched Aria seat the smaller end inside of herself, enjoying the way the powerful sheets of muscle along her lover's stomach twitched as the sensation transmitter touched the ridge of her clit. "As long as it ends up in me," she murmured, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Instead of waiting patiently for Aria to decide what to do with her, she reached out and wrapped her fingers around the thick shaft, smiling when she felt that it was already warm to the touch.

Aria thought about objecting, but she allowed Tevos to stroke her for a few moments while she plotted her next move. Fortunately, her lover was distracted, staring intently at her hand as it moved up and down, sliding from the base to just beneath the head. Wetness began beading at the tip, and Aria saw Tevos run her tongue over her lower lip in anticipation.

Deciding that she had allowed Tevos to play long enough, Aria braceleted her slender wrist with firm fingers, forcing her to let go. Tevos's eyes widened, and this time, her shout of surprise was genuine as purple-blue energy shot from Aria's hands, throwing her onto her back and trapping her arms neatly above her head in a powerful singularity field. Automatically, Tevos tried to test her range of motion, but she found that escape was impossible. Even with the use of her own biotics, she doubted she would be able to break free. Although she had better mental control, Aria's raw biotic strength was unmatched.

Aria loomed over her, one glowing hand pressed into the center of her chest to keep her in place while the other made lazy passes along the shaft of her cock. She was smiling, but the look in her eyes was predatory and unmistakably hungry. "Are you ready to start paying your debt, pet? Not that you have much of a choice... You'd better get used to being trapped like this, because I'm not planning on letting you go any time soon."

Those words sent a shiver down Tevos's spine, and she could not help arching on top of the mattress, hoping Aria would either grow too impatient to tease or take pity on her. She tugged at her lower lip with her teeth and looked up at Aria through hooded eyes. Either her needy expression worked or Aria was eager to come, because she shifted forward on her knees until the thick, flared head of her cock was hovering inches away from her lips. If she strained the muscles in her shoulders and lifted her head, she might be able to take it in her mouth and swirl her tongue over the slit to gather up the wetness there...

"Don't," Aria said before the thought could become an action. She ran her hand up along Tevos's chest, pausing to tweak one of her nipples before sliding over the column of her throat and curling her fingers around it. Although she didn't squeeze down, the possessive gesture was unmistakable. Finally, after a few breathless seconds, she let go and ran her thumb over Tevos's lower lip. "You were right before." She made a noise approval as she felt a soft, warm tongue flick across the sensitive pad. "I did miss your mouth."

Tevos couldn't resist one last plea. "Then use it," she whispered before she could stop herself. "Please..."

Aria's patience gave out. She shifted forward again, guiding the tip of her cock past Tevos's lips and letting out a low groan as she felt herself enveloped by warm, welcoming, and familiar heat. Unable to resist, she pushed further forward, feeling the shaft of her cock twitch as Tevos's tongue began teasing the head. She caressed the side of Tevos's face with her hand, running her fingers along the soft curve of her lover's tattooed cheek.

"Good girl," she purred, stroking the smooth line of Tevos's jaw as she watched her bondmate's full lips seal around her and begin sucking. Each pull made the muscles in her abdomen shiver, and the fullness and strain in the base of her cock seemed to pulse in time with the soft strokes that Tevos was painting over the head. She sank deeper, causing an outline to form against Tevos's cheeks as several more inches of the shaft pushed past her lips. Tevos made a few muffled noises in the back of her throat, and instinctively, Aria initiated a light meld, partially to check and see whether she feeling any discomfort, and partially to share some of her pleasure.

This time, the walls that Tevos had formed to protect her thoughts were lowered. She was buzzing with arousal and energy, and she latched on to Aria's mind as soon as she felt it brush against hers. _'Patience,'_ Aria thought, gripping the back of Tevos's crest with both hands and forcing herself deeper. She only stopped when the meld told her that she had gone as deep as she could.

_'But – Aria...'_

Tevos barely got to finish her thought.

_'This mouth is mine.'_ Finally, Aria began a slow, deep thrusting motion, enjoying the way the shaft of her cock glistened as it pulled out. She felt her clit twitch against the seat of the toy as she imagined shifting down between Tevos's legs and pushing inside of her, but she managed to resist temptation. _'I'll fuck it however I want. And you'll enjoy it.'_

Tevos felt her face heat up. Sometimes, Aria knew her a little too well. Eager to bring both of them to a release, she lifted her head as best she could with her arms trapped near the headboard, sliding her lips up and down the shaft of Aria's cock despite the uncomfortable stretch in her neck and the awkward angle. Unfortunately, Aria shifted back even further, pulling completely free of her mouth and moving out of reach. She released Tevos's crest, running her own hand along the slick shaft instead.

"Please," Tevos whimpered again as the meld started to fade. Although Aria's knees were still barely touching her sides, losing that much skin contact had been enough to sever some of the link.

Aria's eyes narrowed. Tevos had been fighting her at every turn, being deliberately disobedient and taking things before she had earned them. Although part of her simply wanted to thrust back inside of Tevos's mouth and selfishly take her pleasure until she came, she knew that she needed to break her lover first. "I'm disappointed in you. I was only gone for two weeks. Have you really forgotten the rules already?"

Tevos swallowed back a response, knowing that no matter what she said, Aria would find a way to twist her words and punish her further. She tried not to stare between Aria's legs, but found her gaze drifting there anyway. She tugged slightly at the singularity field holding her wrists together, hoping it had weakened, and trembling a little when she realized that it hadn't. She was completely at Aria's mercy.

"You're mine, and I'm going to use you however I want. Your only job is to let me. If you try and take more than I give you, I won't come in your mouth." Tevos could not resist smiling slightly. Even though she did want to taste Aria's release, she wasn't going to object if Aria felt like coming on her instead. Unfortunately, Aria noticed. "And just because I have to use the joining to come doesn't mean I have to stay melded with you while I finish."

That threat was much more serious, and Tevos felt her heart trip over a beat. The last thing she wanted was for Aria to pull away as soon as she started coming and leave her hovering on the edge alone. "Aria..." When Aria's eyes remained hard, she swallowed and tried again. "Mistress... Let me please you. I promise to be more obedient."

"One more chance, pet. If you push the boundaries again, I'll come without you." When Aria shifted forward again, Tevos parted her lips, holding still as she felt the thick shaft slide back into her mouth. She resisted the impulse to set the pace herself, although she did hold her head up slightly so Aria could get a deeper angle as she began moving. The meld snapped back into clearer focus, and she felt Aria's hands slide back behind her crest to offer her some support.

Increasing the pace and depth of her thrusts, Aria tightened her stomach muscles, trying to hold back long enough to make sure Tevos had learned her lesson. She was already closer than she had expected, and the ache along the shaft of her cock had become a pounding fullness. Although her lover's tongue eagerly teased the underside of her shaft and flicked over the head, she did not push forward to take the rest of the cock, even when Aria forced herself to pause half-in and half-out of her mouth.

_'Much better,'_ Aria thought across the thread between their minds, feeling her inner muscles clutch down around the shorter end of the toy. Instead of words, she only received feelings of need and submission from Tevos. Apparently, her bondmate had decided to stop resisting and simply accept the pleasure Aria was both giving to her and taking from her. _'Are you ready for your reward?'_

_'Yes. Please...'_ The answer itself was short, but what Tevos gave her through the union was nearly enough to make her come. She let out an audible gasp as she felt Tevos yield within the meld, offering herself up completely. _'Use me. I'm yours.'_ Aria couldn't resist. She gave one final thrust, letting out a sharp cry as the pressure building along her shaft finally released. Warmth gushed from the swollen head, and she tightened her grip on the back of Tevos's crest, making sure she couldn't pull away.

Tevos whimpered around the twitching shaft of the cock as she felt the first shot of Aria's release, savoring the familiar taste. Instinctively, she tried to pull back a little so that she could swallow, but firm hands held her in place, refusing to let her move. Her legs kicked out against the mattress, and her hips bucked up into nothing, desperately searching for some kind of purchase. Their pleasure bled together until it was indistinguishable, and both of them moved as one they rode through shared contractions.

Finally, Aria pulled back, allowing Tevos to swallow and take in a desperate gasp of air. It took a moment for her head to stop spinning, and by the time she began to make sense of where she ended and Aria began, the tip of Aria's cock was already dragging through her folds, nudging the exposed tip of her clit. She felt her thighs being pulled roughly apart, and her breath caught in her trembling chest as she was filled with a quick, brutal thrust. It stung a little at first, but the sudden stretch quickly faded into a pleasant, throbbing ache.

Tevos threw one of her knees around Aria's waist, running the sole of her foot along the back of her lover's thigh. _'Goddess, I missed you,'_ she thought, completely forgetting the role she was supposed to be playing. Fortunately, Aria was too far-gone to care, lost in her own need. She growled as she bit down on the exposed cord of Tevos's shoulder, sinking her teeth into the vulnerable flesh and sucking hard enough to leave an obvious purple bruise.

_'Missed you – missed this –'_ Aria tried to send her own broken thoughts back, but soon, she was caught up in her own pleasure, enjoying the way Tevos's silky inner walls fluttered around her every time she pulled out, trying to keep her inside. _'Fuck, so good... all mine...'_

_'All yours,'_ Tevos echoed that Aria was too aroused to torture her anymore, she nuzzled her bondmate's neck, planting a string of kisses along her jawline before nipping at her pulse point. Aria did not stop to punish her, but she did increase her thrusts, determined to display her dominance through her actions. Every time Aria pushed in to her, the thick head catching against her front wall, Tevos felt herself pulse on the edge of another release. Instinctively, she tried to lower a hand between their bodies, wanting to run her fingers over the curve of her clit, but Aria's singularity field hadn't faded, and she sighed in frustration.

_'Is this what you wanted?'_ Aria asked, forcing a hand between their hips and catching the firm ridge between her fingers. Tevos's inner walls tightened and fluttered around her, and she repeated the motion, never slowing down her thrusts.

_'Yes – yes, please! Aria...'_

_'Who owns you, whore?'_

The words had been said so often that the response was wired into her now. _'You do, Aria. Always.'_

_'Come for me.'_

Aria's permission was all she needed. Tevos threw her head back against the pillow, grinding her hips forward as she tightened to the breaking point. Aria hurriedly kissed down the slope of her chest, biting into the curve of her breast as she arched her back, inner muscles shivering wildly. She shouted something like Aria's name, rocking desperately against the fingers that were teasing her and the shaft that was thrusting into her. When she felt Aria follow her over the edge, it set off another round of shuddering pulses, and she was too distracted by the thick warmth filling her to notice the edges of Aria's teeth catching at her nipple.

Finally, Aria's weight collapsed on top of her, and Tevos tucked her face into the warmth of her shoulder as both of them panted for breath. _'I – I think your degrading names for me are becoming like terms of endearment,'_ she thought hazily, her knee tightening around Aria's waist as she experienced a particularly strong aftershock.

"As long as you enjoy them," Aria said out loud. "You only owe me twenty six more orgasms over the next two days."

"Twenty four," Tevos reminded her, sighing with relief as Aria finally freed her wrists. She rolled her shoulders for a moment before wrapping her arms around Aria's torso, running her hands along her lover's warm, muscular shoulders. "And if you insist on taking them this way, I'm not going to be able to sit down, let alone walk."

Aria snorted, flexing the muscles in her backside as she picked up a fresh rhythm in her hips. "Good. The other Councilors will just have to stand."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"Not bad, T'Soni," Aria said, grinning over at Liara as they headed over to the store opposite the food kiosk at Armax Arsenal Arena. After the pleasurable morning she had spent with Tevos, Aria had dialed Liara's Omnitool, hopping directly from one form of entertainment to another. She would have been content to spend the entire day in bed with her bondmate, but unfortunately, Tevos had Council business to attend to. "You almost matched my score."

"While over a year pregnant," Liara added as they stopped in front of the prize kiosk. "You know my biotics are unstable."

Aria's eyebrow tattoo lifted. "Is that why you were being so heavy-handed with the Carnifex? I was wondering..."

Liara nodded. "I know my way around a pistol," she said, folding her arms over her breasts.

"I know you do," Aria drawled, her lips twitching up in a smirk. "It's actually pretty hot."

Liara couldn't quite tame the purple blush threatening to blossom across her cheeks. "We aren't talking about guns anymore, are we?"

"Well, if Shepard decides she isn't up to taking care of you, and you feel the need to pop my heat sink instead..."

Even though she knew Aria was mostly teasing, Liara gave her a solid slap on the side of her arm. "Better give it a few months until after the baby comes. Shepard's been a little... possessive lately."

"So I've noticed," Aria said as she scrolled through the prizes listed on the kiosk, not feeling particularly drawn to any of the options. "You did tell her we were coming here for a little target practice, right? She's not going to kill me when she inevitably finds out?"

"I left her a message..." Liara's voice trailed off. "During the time she was supposed to be meeting with the Council. Besides, I'm not due for another two months. Dr. Chakwas assured me that physical activity was safe for now."

"Did she clear physical activities involving guns and biotic explosions?" Aria asked, narrowing her eyes.

Liara busied herself checking her Omnitool. "She didn't specifically forbid them," she said without meeting Aria's eyes. "Besides, I'm fine. Not a bruise."

"I'm locking my doors tonight. The last thing I want is to wake up with your bondmate standing at the foot of my bed, pointing the barrel of a gun at my head. She's an awful shot, but even she isn't terrible enough to miss at such close range."

"She won't," Liara said dismissively, looking up from her wrist. "Don't worry. I know how to handle Shepard. Was Tevos happy to see you last night?"

Politely ignoring Liara's blatant attempt to change the subject, Aria stepped back from the kiosk. "Not really," she admitted, deciding to tell the truth. "She was much happier to wake up with me this morning, though. We made up for some lost time."

"Good. So, she told you about the paperwork you need to sign?"

Aria sighed. Honestly, she had been hoping that the subject of adopting Shepard and Liara's daughter wouldn't come up. She still hadn't processed it completely on her own. "Yeah, she told me. Honestly, I think it's a pretty terrible idea." Aria hastily corrected herself when she saw the hurt look cross Liara's face. "I'm not saying no. I just keep wondering... why us? Well, I know why you picked Thea. Aside from her obsession with work, she has all the qualities of an amazing parent. But what about me? I don't exactly have a great track record with kids. Or anyone else."

"Shepard and I have some of the same fears, Aria," Liara said cautiously, leaning on the edge of the counter beside the kiosk. "This is our first daughter, and I'm only one hundred and twelve. I've spent the last several years of my life fighting a seemingly unwinnable war. I was estranged from my own mother when she died. What do I know about raising a child?"

"Probably more than I do. My last try wasn't exactly a success. I ended up getting my own daughter killed." Instead of turning away to hide the pain in her eyes, Aria stared directly into Liara's face, forcing her to witness it. "What makes you think I'd do any better with yours?"

Sensing that Aria was revealing something incredibly personal to her, Liara chose her words carefully. "Because even though you don't like to admit it, I know you, Aria. You don't care about much, but you protect the things you hold dear more fiercely than anyone else I know."

"Yeah. Like Omega, my red sand business, my gangs, my nightclub, my brothel..."

"Like Tevos. Like Shepard and me. Like Liselle, when she was alive... and even still."

Aria was forced to break eye contact, slamming both fists into the counter in frustration as she glowered down at the floor. Fortunately, she didn't leave any cracks or dents in the smooth metal surface, but biotics did dance over her knuckles. "Not that it's done Tevos or Liselle much good. Both of them were hurt because of me. Liselle was even killed."

When Aria felt the warmth of Liara's hand run between her tense shoulderblades, she nearly flinched away. However, she forced herself to hold still, muscles pulled so tight that they threatened to snap. "You didn't hurt them, Aria. Your enemies did. Shepard and I have plenty of those ourselves, especially considering my job. Why do you think we're making arrangements for Athena before she's even born?"

Aria shook her head, letting it hang down with her chin tucked into her chest. "You know, anyone else in the galaxy would think you were crazy, entrusting your kid to the Queen of Omega."

Liara pulled back, placing both hands on her hips. "Perhaps. And they would be wrong. Besides, you wouldn't be doing it alone this time."

The words took her completely by surprise. "I – I'm surprised I never thought of that," Aria said, pushing off the kiosk and straightening up. "It seems so obvious when you say it." Even though her relationship with Tevos was still fairly new, at least compared to their relatively long lives, Aria had to admit that being with Tevos had changed her, mostly for the better. Not that she would admit it to anyone else. Surely she couldn't fail quite as badly this time with Tevos to help her...

Aria suddenly realized that she was thinking about the child in absolute terms, even though the likelihood of Shepard and Liara dying young was small. She quickly backtracked. "I'll sign the paperwork after she's born," she grunted, turning towards the food stand. "Not before. Take until then to think about it. I won't be hurt if you change your mind."

"Agreed, but I promise you I won't." Liara touched the side of Aria's arm until she had coaxed her friend into looking at her. "Come on. I'm starving. Let's get something to eat and walk around the strip for a while. I'll tell you all about the bizarre baby presents I've been receiving from complete strangers."

"Sounds riveting," Aria said, relieved that the serious part of the conversation was over.

"You might be surprised. Some people have very strange ideas about what is and is not appropriate for children."

"Was it worse than my wedding present?" Aria asked.

"I'll let you be the judge. There was a detailed replica of Shepard's N7 armor in infant size, several parenting books advocating all kinds of strange childrearing methods, the wild varren pup..."

That one made Aria do a double take. "Someone gave you a baby varren? That thing would probably eat her."

Liara nodded as they made their way towards the food kiosk. "We told Wrex and Jack they had to take it back..."

. . .

"Valern really does go on, doesn't he?" Tevos said, catching Shepard's exhausted expression from the other side of the cab. They had decided to share a ride down from the Citadel Tower after their meeting.

Shepard let her chin fall against her chest, closing her eyes. "That's the understatement of the century," she muttered, resting her hands on her thighs. "How do you deal with him every day?"

"Selective hearing," Tevos answered immediately.

"Pretty funny answer for someone who doesn't have ears," Shepard teased. She opened her eyes slightly, but did not bother lifting her head.

"I do have ears," Tevos insisted, although a smile caught at her lips. "They just don't stick out like yours. Your species really does look strange, Shepard."

"Don't you mean _exotic?"_ Shepard drawled, finally lifting her chin and waggling her eyebrows.

Tevos let out a mock sigh. "I suppose," she said, shaking her head. "At least, Liara thinks so."

_"You_ think so," Shepard insisted, unwilling to let Tevos get away with changing the subject. "C'mon, admit it."

"You know I find female humans appealing in general, and you appealing in particular. None of this is new information."

"Wow, you're snarky today. Aria's been away for too long, I guess."

As the cab began to descend from Citadel Tower, Tevos turned her gaze towards the window, staring out over the Presidium. It always looked different from above, with the statues and buildings reduced to small building blocks. They began to grow larger, and Tevos fixed her gaze on the krogan monument with its crowd of visitors as they passed overhead. "I told her about your request last night. She didn't take it well."

Shepard's smile slipped away, and a worry line creased her forehead. "Throwing a hissy fit 'didn't take it well', or using her biotics 'didn't take it well'?"

"Running away to Purgatory and getting drunk 'didn't take it well'," Tevos clarified.

"Damn," Shepard blurted out. "She hates that place. She must have really been upset if she actually went back there."

Tevos sighed. "She came back before morning, and we talked. Unfortunately, agreeing to adopt your daughter if you and Liara are incapacitated brought up some painful memories."

Shepard was quiet for several moments, contemplating her words. "I guess it's not surprising," she said, staring over at Tevos as the councilor continued looking out of the window. "I can understand where she's coming from, but Liara and I stand by our decision. We want the two of you to adopt Athena if the worst happens... if you agree, of course."

"We do," Tevos said, a little too hastily. "She just needs some time."

"Hopefully, it won't ever become an issue," Shepard said.

This time, it was Tevos who let the conversation stretch out into silence. The lights around them became brighter as they passed the rapid transit station at the embassies. She stopped looking out of the window, lowering her gaze into her lap. "It's already a problem," she said, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. "I have to admit, watching you and Liara starting a family has brought up some confusing feelings for me, Shepard."

"Confusing how?" Shepard asked, turning in her seat so that she could study Tevos more closely.

"As a maiden and a matron, I always expected to have children. I told myself it would happen when my workload decreased and I had time for a proper relationship... Then, Aria happened."

"Aria can definitely confuse people when she 'happens'," Shepard said, reaching out and putting a hand on Tevos's thigh.

"That would be... how did you put it? The understatement of the century. Anyway, I never expected Aria to want children. Our relationship has never been easy, but it is wonderful, and I didn't want to lose her. I thought I could handle giving up that dream for her. Now, I'm not so certain."

"So, what are you going to do about it? Not leave her, I hope?"

"Of course not," Tevos said, looking up at Shepard for the first time since the conversation had shifted. "But I think I need to talk to her about it. And then, perhaps I should schedule a few appointments with my old therapist... to deal with my grief and come to terms with my decision." She paused, trying to swallow down the thick lump in her throat. "Do you think it's strange, to call this feeling grief?"

"Well, you are giving up something that's important to you," Shepard said in a low voice. "That isn't easy. You're allowed to feel some regret over it."

"I suppose you're right." Tevos returned to looking out the window. "Now, I just need to figure out the best way to bring up the subject without scaring her away again. I know she'll take it personally, even though it has nothing to do with her and everything to do with me."

Shepard gave Tevos an apologetic shrug, even though the councilor was facing away. "Not sure what to tell you. Aria's hard to read. You'd probably know how to approach her better than I would."

"I think I'll wait a few days," Tevos said as the cab came to a halt. She could see the blue light of its stabilizers firing through the window as it settled next to the sidewalk. "You and Liara are still leaving for Thessia at the end of the week, right? This conversation might be easier when you aren't nearby."

"Painful reminder?" Shepard asked, checking to make sure that she had her credit chit. "I understand. Although I hope you still want to be at the birth... Liara could really use the support. All the reporters and attention have been stressing her out."

Tevos gave Shepard a smile, and although it was small, it was genuine instead of forced. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it. Aria and I are returning to Omega in another week, but after that, we're going back to Armali. I can handle this problem without keeping my distance from Liara."

"Good." The side of the cab opened, and Shepard stepped out, bracing one elbow against the doorframe as she kept her head inside for one last moment. "I'm off to find my missing bondmate. If I find yours with her, I'll send her home."

"Keep her for a little while, will you? I could barely walk today, and I have some files to catch up on while I have the chance."

Shepard grinned. "Is that why today was a standing day?"

Tevos nodded. "It usually is."

"I'll see if I can talk her into a drink if I find her." She gave Tevos a friendly wave before pulling back from the door. "See you later."

Once she was alone in the back of the cab, Tevos reprogrammed the directions, sending the skycar back to her apartment. She activated her Omnitool, making a note to schedule an appointment with her former therapist as the cab took off, sliding back into the constant flow of Presidium traffic. Hopefully, this problem would be much easier to process than the guilt she had felt during and after the Reaper invasion.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

Even though she had grown accustomed to it over the years, and even fond of it in a strange way, Tevos could not help wrinkling her nose as she exited her ship and stepped out into Omega's noisy, bustling docking bay. It smelled of overcrowded people, burnt fuel, and desperation. Her arrival drew a fair amount of attention, although that could have been because Aria was standing next to her, looking pleased to be back home.

Aria rarely showed her joy on her face. Normally, the only emotions she allowed to show through in public were anger or a cool, detached indifference. This morning, however, she was actually smiling as she walked down the ramp with measured clicks of her high-heeled boots. The normally stiff line of her shoulders was relaxed beneath her jacket, and honestly, Tevos wasn't surprised that her bondmate felt more comfortable in a dingy criminal haven than the bright, sterile Presidium.

"So, where are we going?" Tevos asked as she kept stride with Aria. She did not bother looking to her left and making eye contact, concentrating instead on where she put her feet. You never knew what you might step in while walking through the seedier parts of Omega, and she happened to be wearing fairly expensive shoes that she had picked up on her last trip to Illium.

"That's up to you," Aria said. "We could go to Afterlife..." The slight tightening of Tevos's facial features let Aria know that the suggestion hadn't been successful. "All right, we'll wait on Afterlife. But you know I have to make some regular appearances there over the next week. My subjects get antsy if I've been away from my couch for too long."

Tevos rolled her eyes. "You and that couch," she muttered. Although Tevos had to admit that it was unexpectedly comfortable, the symbolism that Aria attached to it seemed slightly foolish to her. However, it was one of those foolishnesses that she had come to adore simply because of her affection for Aria.

"Don't complain about my couch," Aria said, her head turning ever so slightly to the side and her eyes narrowing slightly as she gave her bondmate a disapproving look. "Think about all the orgasms you've had on it."

Tevos changed the subject to avoid admitting that Aria had a valid point. "Your quarters, then? To unpack?"

"If you actually mean unpack, no. If you mean "unpack," yes," Aria said.

"I can't spend the whole day unpacking," Tevos reminded her. "This is supposed to be a working trip for both of us."

Aria snorted. "I'm surprised you still get away with calling this a 'diplomatic assignment', since everyone knows we're fucking now."

"Oh, we're not calling it unpacking anymore?" Tevos asked breezily. "Besides, making regular appearances here with you is important for relations with the Terminus System. Not to mention all the extranet messages and paperwork I have to go over while the Council is out of session..." A small tightness at her temples threatened to explode into a full-blown headache if she continued focusing on the long list of files she had to review, and so she redirected her thoughts.

"You have a week," Aria said as they exited the docking bay, followed silently by her entourage. "Plenty of time to do your busywork while I do mine."

"Busywork?" Tevos echoed as they stopped on a street corner and waited.

"Negotiations with the Blood Pack, going over accounts, checking over my various business ventures..." She gave Tevos another sidelong look. "Spending some time at Afterlife to remind everyone of Omega's only rule..."

"You mean the rule I'm about to break while we unpack?" Tevos asked.

Aria nodded, but didn't respond verbally. Before she could, a sleek white Skycar with the Omega symbol printed prominently in deep purple on either side pulled up to where they were standing. The doors slid open, revealing a familiar face to both of them. "Grizz," Aria said, giving the faithful turian a rare smile. Although she had been fond of him before – as much as she had been fond of anyone back then – something had changed since Tevos's abduction and subsequent rescue. Aria knew she had Grizz to thank for her bondmate's life, and he had been added to the short list of people she cared about.

Tevos's greeting was equally friendly, and she began conversing with him as she and Aria slid into the wide seats at the back of the Skycar. Aria was content to listen, arms folded across her chest as she reclined into the comfortable leather. She only interjected when the subject of their next trip to Thessia was raised. "I want you along for that one," she said, staring past the open partition even though the back of the driver's seat still blocked most of her view.

The problem was solved when Grizz turned back around to glance at her. Fortunately, the autopilot was engaged. "Of course, boss," he said, although Aria thought she could detect a hint of pleased surprise in his voice.

"Your decision wouldn't have anything to do with a certain asari matriarch currently residing in Armali, would it?" Tevos whispered, lowering her voice so that Grizz couldn't hear.

Aria didn't respond, but her tattooed lips pulled into a smirk. It amused her to think that her most faithful bodyguard had taken up with someone so refined. Or someone who had the appearance of refinement, at least. In private, Velana was the exact opposite.

Finally, the Skycar slowed to a stop, and the side doors opened. Aria stepped out and, in a surprising gesture of chivalry, offered Tevos her hand. The warmth of their palms meeting sent a small jolt through her, and Aria was suddenly glad that they weren't going to Afterlife yet. She doubted any of the club's patrons would mind if she decided to indulge herself on the couch after all, but as much of an exhibitionist as Tevos could be, she knew that particular fantasy would have to remain unfulfilled. One of the downsides of binding wrists with a well-respected politician instead of a nameless dancer. She filed it away in the back of her mind anyway, realizing that she could probably find a way to incorporate it into the humiliating stream of dirty talk that sex with Tevos usually demanded.

. . .

"It looks like we've beaten our bags," Tevos said, looking around the bedroom. Honestly, it didn't matter much. Since they had gone public with their relationship, so many of Tevos's things had migrated into Aria's apartment above Afterlife that she probably could have lived there comfortably even if all of her bags had been lost during the trip.

She felt strong, familiar arms wrap around her from behind and relaxed back into Aria's comfortable embrace. "What do we need from them?" she asked, resting her chin on top of Tevos's shoulder as her hands began exploring the flat plane of her stomach.

"Well, our toys –"

"We don't need those," Aria insisted, sliding her hands up to cup both of Tevos's breasts. The material of the dress prevented Aria from feeling the warmth of her flesh, but not the rapidly hardening points of her nipples. "I'm surprised you're not sore after the past week anyway."

Tevos let out a low, encouraging sigh as she felt warm lips begin lavishing attention on her throat, stringing together a trail of kisses until Aria was sucking just below the curve of her jaw. "Not too sore for your fingers," she suggested hopefully, arching her spine slightly so that she could press forward into Aria's hands. "Or your tongue..."

"Really?" Aria purred just beside her crest. The pads of both thumbs skated over the tips of her breasts, circling them maddeningly. Even through her dress, the sensation was strong enough to make her shiver. "And how are you planning on returning the favor afterwards?"

"I could return the favor at the same time..."

Aria paused, lifting her head in surprise. Honestly, that wasn't one of Tevos's favorite positions, because she found it difficult to focus on mutual pleasure without the help of the meld. But if she was requesting it...

Playfully, she turned Tevos around and gave her a backwards push, watching as she landed on the mattress. "All right, but I'm on top."

Tevos's brow lifted. "Aren't you always?" she asked as Aria slid on top of her, easily straddling her hips. She shivered as warm hands ran up along her mostly-bare arms and over the sleeves of her dress, reaching around to undo the clasp behind her neck.

Aria pressed a kiss to her temple before nuzzling her cheek. "Yes. Except when I make you ride me." Honestly, 'make you ride me' was a fairly accurate description, Tevos thought, because at least half the time, Aria was the one controlling her motions even when she was on top.

Tevos was surprised to find herself taken in a brief but powerful meld, and she let herself be swept together with Aria, opening her mind to the picture her bondmate was trying to share.

_The two of them, after Aria's return to the Citadel, with Aria sprawled on the couch as Tevos writhed and arched above her. Feeling the bruising grip of Aria's powerful hands on her hips, actually doing most of the work for her, and the light bite of her own nails digging into Aria's broad, powerful shoulders, raking along her upper arms... Her inner muscles shuddering and rippling around the shaft splitting her open every time Aria forced her to sink down..._

Tevos opened her eyes, feeling a slight loss as Aria withdrew from her mind and tapered the meld off. A few wisps of feelings and thoughts lingered, but Tevos couldn't help being disappointed even though she knew they would be Joined again soon. Giving Aria her most seductive look, she tilted back, supporting herself on her elbows and putting her breasts on prominent display. "Well?" she asked, "what are you waiting for?"

That was enough. Aria pounced, forcing her onto her back and pinning her to the bed. Their mouths collided, but instead of letting Aria control the kiss, Tevos returned it, stroking her tongue against Aria's and nipping at her lower lip when they finally broke apart for breath. "I hope you're not too attached to this dress," Aria growled as her hands began to glow with pulsing purple light. After looking at Tevos's face and finding no objections, she tore down from the neckline, ripping it open.

Soon, Aria was kissing down the slope of her chest, tugging a firm nipple between her teeth. Tevos arched again, raking her nails along the material of Aria's jacket and hurrying to shove it off her shoulders. The corset was next, and although it took more than a little effort to undo the clasps without being able to see, she had years of practice to fall back on. Soon, both of them were naked from the waist up, and they let out twin sighs of contentment as they finally pressed together, skin sliding against skin.

Aria's hands made quick work of the shreds that had been Tevos's dress, and then she went to work on her own pants, unzipping them and tugging them down her thighs. She would have torn through them, too, cursing herself for being too fashionable if Tevos hadn't helped her get them the rest of the way down. She kicked them off to the side somewhere, not caring where they landed.

"Aria, please," Tevos panted, her words more of a demand than a plea. "I want you."

"What part of me?" Aria asked, determined to win at least a small concession before they lost themselves. "My fingers? My mouth?"

Tevos took a moment to respond. Her words had temporarily deserted her as Aria's lips folded around her nipple again and teeth grazed the tight point. "I – both," she finally managed to answer. Apparently, the stammered words were enough. Aria pulled back, but only after leaving a purple bite-mark on the side of Tevos's breast. The one she had put there before had faded to almost nothing.

Satisfied with the bruise she had left on her lover's flesh, Aria quickly turned around, placing her knees on either side of Tevos's shoulders. She didn't even bother bracing her elbows on the mattress before pulling Tevos's thighs open, running her tongue over her lips as she revealed the prize between them. Tevos was already wet for her, and the curved ridge of her clit was just begging to be sucked. She lowered her head, drawing it between her lips and savoring the way Tevos cried out in response.

Aria didn't have long to enjoy her moment of power before a soft, eager tongue began sliding between her outer lips, pushing past the firm ring of muscle at her entrance instead of taking the time to service her clit. It was a little selfish, but Aria didn't object, mostly because when Tevos's tongue began curling in search of her taste, the movement caused her inner muscles to ripple with pleasure.

"Fuck," she hissed, releasing Tevos's clit long enough to let out a string of muttered profanity. Encouraged by her reaction, Tevos pushed deeper, trying to hit the same spot that she always found so effortlessly with her fingers. When she couldn't reach far enough, she pulled back and replaced her mouth with her hand, sliding inside of Aria and pressing forward. It was enough to make Aria shudder, and Tevos felt a gush of wetness spill over her hand and chin. She gasped as Aria imitated her, working two fingers inside of her with firm thrusts and sealing her lips back around the tight ridge of her clit.

This time, it was Tevos who initiated the meld, too overwhelmed by the dual sensations to hold out. Aria welcomed her instead of forcing her to wait, just as eager to Join as she was, and the two of them felt a wave of relief as their minds began bleeding over, filling each other with thoughts and feelings and desires. Everything was doubled, and both of them began moving faster, trying not to become too distracted.

_'This is why – why I don't usually like this... I can't ever...'_ Tevos thought brokenly as she painted circles over the tip of Aria's clit. She forgot what she had been saying as Aria's fingers rubbed against a particularly delicious spot inside of her. _'Concentrate,'_ she finally finished, trying not to let her hips lift too far off the bed.

_'But it's worth it,'_ Aria insisted. She could feel herself tightening, so close that her heart pounded heavily in her chest and her inner muscles twitched, although several of those feelings might have been coming from Tevos.

_'Especially when we –'_

_'- come together...'_ they both thought at the same moment.

There was no way to tell which one of them reached the edge first, but they fell together, spilling over into a warm, shuddering release that had both of them rocking in to each other and riding out every pulse for as much pleasure as they could stand. Unsatisfied, they kept going by unspoken agreement, even when their orgasm began fading to aftershocks.

_'Goddess, you're insatiable,' _Tevos thought when she felt Aria's hand pick up speed, even sharing the burn in her lover's wrist as it hummed with biotics. The buzzing sent little jolts of pleasure through her entire body as she busied herself cleaning up the mess she had made with long, broad sweeps of her tongue.

Aria's attention stayed firmly on her clit. _'You're irresistible. So it's your fault.'_ She enjoyed the fresh pulse of warmth and slickness that coated her palm as she stopped thrusting and began curling instead. The meld allowed her to find the full, sensitive spot against Tevos's front wall even faster than usual.

_'If you don't stop that, I'm going to...'_ Tevos's attempts at warning her were useless, because she came before she could stop herself, dragging Aria along with her. She did manage to begin moving her hand again for a few moments, but she was too lost in her own pleasure to do much more than let Aria grind against her face.

Once Aria had wrung every last bit of pleasure from both of them, she let her weight fall forward, resting her cheek against a firm, wet thigh. For a moment, they just breathed together, enjoying the remnants of the lingering meld. Unfortunately, they were interrupted by the buzz of the front doorbell.

"That would be our bags," Tevos murmured, unable to swallow all of her disappointment. "I suppose we should unpack... and I don't mean it as a euphemism this time."

"With frequent breaks?" Aria suggested as she forced herself to roll off of Tevos's warm, tempting body. Even though she wasn't ready to stop, she didn't like the thought of leaving their things outside the front door, even though security was so tight around Afterlife that no one but her guards would be able to get anywhere near her apartment.

Tevos smiled, propping herself up on her elbows as she watched Aria search for her leather pants. She would never miss an opportunity to watch Aria bend over. "That sounds like a workable compromise."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

"I think we've finished emptying our suitcases," Tevos said, gazing up at the ceiling with a blank stare. Honestly, even the thought of turning her head was too tiring. Aria had worn her out.

Aria snorted. "That's what you're thinking about right now?" She was sprawled across the bed with Tevos's head resting on her shoulder. A warm, soothing hand drew patterns on the firm plane of her stomach, and occasionally, it made her abdominal muscles twitch. "Maybe I didn't fuck you thoroughly enough, then..."

Tevos heaved an exaggerated, weary sigh. "Later. I can barely feel anything below the waist."

"Really?" Aria's lips twitched up in a smirk. "It's not often that I manage to fuck you into exhaustion."

"Often enough." Tevos shifted just enough to tuck her cheek against Aria's collarbone. "So, what is your schedule going to be like for the rest of the day?"

"Easy. I thought I might put in an appearance at Afterlife tonight. Remind everyone that the Queen still likes to sit on her throne and hold court."

Tevos took a moment to respond, suppressing a yawn and cuddling closer to Aria's side. "I'm going to check on Liara and fall asleep early," she said. "She could use the support right now. Besides, I'm afraid I might have been a little distant during the time I spent with her on the Citadel."

"Distant?" Aria asked, sitting up and forcing Tevos to shift onto her own side of the bed. Her forehead tattoo lowered in worry. "Why?"

Tevos had thought long and hard about how she wanted to broach the subject of children with Aria, and eventually, she had decided that speaking in brief, honest statements would be best. Now was as good a time as any other. "Watching Liara and Shepard start a family has been difficult for me," she admitted carefully. "I know the two of us aren't planning on children, but I've found myself becoming a little envious. I'm thinking of going back to my old therapist for a few sessions so I can to come to terms with not having any myself."

For a brief moment, Aria felt her heart stop. Tevos's words were both unexpected and frighteningly predictable at the same time. Suddenly, her bondmate's sullen mood the last time she had returned from Omega made sense. Memories began resurfacing, meaning nothing by themselves, but forming an unmistakable truth once they were finally linked together. Of course Tevos wanted children. She had said so more than once. Had she not been listening? Had she just ignored it, hoping the problem would work itself out? Or, worst of all, had she simply not cared? She didn't want to think about how selfish that last option made her if it were true.

Aria struggled for a response through the tightness that was suddenly constricting her chest. "That's the decision you've made?" she asked, finding it hard to speak. Her jaw tensed slightly, and she had to work to keep a neutral expression on her face.

"Well, I don't want to leave you," Tevos said, always sensitive to the fact that it was one of Aria's fears. Although their years together had soothed most of Aria's insecurities, they still resurfaced once in a while. "I want to stay even if it means I'll never have a daughter. Being with you is worth that sacrifice."

Aria was surprised at how much Tevos's brief confession had hurt her, and frustrated that she couldn't sort out what was causing the pain. Tevos had said everything she wanted to hear, but somehow, that only made her feel worse. "You know I would be a terrible parent," she said, trying to come up with an excuse, any excuse to validate Tevos's decision. "I'm the last person you should raise a daughter with."

"You're the only person I would want to raise a daughter with," Tevos insisted, sitting up straighter and reaching out to take Aria's hand. Aria didn't pull away, but she didn't squeeze back either. "And I'm certain you would do a better job than you think. But you made it clear that you didn't want to have children before we were bonded. I knew the choice I was making then." She paused, and Aria could tell she was tempted to look away. Somehow, Tevos forced herself to keep their gazes locked. "I just didn't think it would hurt like this. That's why I need a therapist."

Aria was silent for a long moment, weighing her response. Part of her wanted to dismiss Tevos completely, to run away to Afterlife just as she had run to Purgatory the week before, but she knew that she couldn't keep having such immature reactions. This problem wasn't going to magically vanish, and after what Tevos was offering to give up for her, the least she could do was swallow down her own feelings and be supportive.

"I know how much your therapist helped you after the war," she said, a little stiffly. "If you think it will help with this, too..."

Tevos lowered her chin, staring into her lap. "I think it will. I hope it will."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Aria blurted out before she could censor herself. And she was sorry. Sorry she had reacted so negatively to the idea of adopting Shepard and Liara's child. Sorry she was too haunted by her memories of her lost daughter to consider starting a new family with her bondmate. Empathy had never been her strong suit, but for Tevos, she always seemed to find some tucked away in a corner of her heart.

Tevos ran her thumb along Aria's knuckles before releasing her hand. "For what it's worth, so am I."

. . .

The pounding beat of the music pulsed from the upper level of Afterlife, almost loud enough to make speech impossible on the dance floor, but the noise was somewhat muted up on Aria's platform overlooking the club. Only the low, thumping thread of the bass was truly audible from her couch.

Aria reclined against the plush leather as she watched some of the dancers work the stage above the bar. They strutted and circled, putting extra motion in their hips and occasionally sending flirtatious looks down at the patrons watching them. Some were veterans, but Aria could tell that a few of the girls were new. Only an experienced eye would have been able to pick them out. Obviously, they had been put through their paces before being allowed on stage – just the way Aria preferred.

Casting an eye over the guards standing at their posts beside the double staircases, Aria sipped at the cold water she had ordered Grizz to bring her in a shot glass. Fortunately, Afterlife's bar carried several types of alcohol that happened to be clear. What everyone else didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Aria had made the deliberate decision to live with her doubts and her guilt instead of drinking them away, and she had discovered that wrestling with them sober was more difficult than she had expected.

"Boss?" The familiar sound of Grizz's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Aria looked up, giving him her attention without a verbal response. "There's someone who wants to come up and see you. She's detained at the bottom of the stairs."

Aria knew enough about turians, and about Grizz in particular, to recognize the nervous vibrating of his mandibles and the slightly excited flange in his voice. Obviously, whoever this person was, they could be a potential threat. The fact that he hadn't mentioned a name yet was also telling.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Justicar Samara," Grizz answered, shifting his balance backward and looking distinctly uncomfortable with the news he had just delivered.

Aria set down her shotglass, which was still half-full. She had met Samara a handful of times before, thanks to the matriarch's association with Shepard. Although Aria knew having a Justicar on her station was bad for business, and even potentially dangerous, she and Samara were on fairly neutral terms. Perhaps it was because Samara owed her life to Shepard many times over and knew that the Commander counted Aria among her friends, or perhaps it was the fact that Aria had assisted in tracking down her oldest daughter, however indirectly. Whatever the reason, she had never challenged Aria's position as ruler of Omega.

"Send her up," Aria said after a moment's consideration, her curiosity winning out over her caution. Surely if Samara wanted to break their tentative peace and kill her for some infraction, she would have simply murdered her guards on the way up the stairs. Justicars cared little for excess casualties if they considered their targets to be wicked.

Looking like he had just swallowed something unpleasant, Grizz returned to the stairs, heading down them at a deliberate pace as he prepared to face the Justicar again. Aria was tempted to look over the railing of her platform, but eventually decided against it. She did not want to appear overeager to meet with Samara. In the few moments to herself that remained, she drained the rest of the water from her glass and set it aside, reclining back on her couch and striking a bored, disinterested pose just as Samara arrived at the top of the stairs, wearing her familiar set of red armor and matching diadem.

"Justicar," Aria said respectfully, although she did not stand. She was not one for ceremonial gestures or politeness. "I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I didn't know you had arrived on Omega." She glanced at Grizz, who was standing several yards back, trying to keep a safe distance. "I'll have to review my security procedures." Making sure that Grizz knew to take care of the problem and find out where the breakdown in communication had occurred, she returned her full attention to Samara.

"I only plan on staying long enough to complete my mission," the matriarch said, her expression completely neutral as she looked down at Aria.

"I hope it isn't another ardat-yakshi hunt," Aria said. "Or perhaps I'm your next unfortunate target?"

"Not this time, Aria T'Loak. I have been observing you. It is true, my old code would have compelled me to kill you if I had not sworn my Oath to Shepard. However, recent years have forced me to view the galaxy in shades of grey instead of rigid black and white. It is... comforting to ignore such things, but not always practical."

Aria allowed some of her surprise to show on her face. "That almost sounds like it violates your Code," she said, crossing one leg over the other.

"Rest assured, I will not hesitate to kill you if I witness you harming an innocent or committing a crime in my presence. My Code would allow me to do no less."

Aria's lips spread in a smile. "That sounds more like it. So, if I'm not your target, what do you want with me?"

"Information," Samara said simply. "Since the end of the war, I have made it my purpose to track down the families of the ardat-yakshi and the Commandos who were murdered by the Reapers at the Lesuss Monastery. I thought they deserved to know what had happened to their daughters." The Justicar's face clouded for a moment. "It was not as easy a task as it sounds. Everyone was scattered after the fighting ended, with many unaccounted for. Along the way, I discovered that one of the girls at the monastery had a younger sister. She was also an ardat-yakshi, and had chosen to start a new life there. She was scheduled to arrive the week after the Reapers invaded."

"And now she's missing," Aria guessed. "What makes you think she's on Omega?"

"I interviewed her parents, and followed the trail to Illium from there. I think the Eclipse sisters have taken her, possibly against her will. I will recover her from them if I can, and kill her if she has been corrupted. It is my hope that she still has some empathy left in her, and spending some time with my daughter, Falere, might help her to suppress her urge to feed."

Aria considered Samara's unspoken request for a moment. She had no duty to assist the Justicar, but no reason to deny her help either. "I'll answer your questions," she said slowly, a plan already forming in her head, "if you answer a few of mine in exchange."

Samara seemed slightly surprised at the bargain that Aria had offered, but she nodded her head. "Very well. I agree to your terms. Tell me where the Eclipse sisters have their base on Omega."

"I can do better than that. I'll give you the coordinates." Aria lifted her wrist, activating her Omnitool and typing into it. Samara activated hers as well, allowing Aria's to read its serial number. "It's an abandoned processing plant in the warehouse district, near the lower levels. You'll want the back entrance instead of the front or the sides. Two guards instead of six, although I doubt you would have any trouble slaughtering your way in through the front if you chose. Oh, and if you don't mind, try not to completely destroy them if they give you the girl. They owe me credits for their latest shipment."

Once she had the information, Samara switched her Omnitool back off, staring at Aria with some interest. "Thank you. Now, what is your question?"

Aria didn't even pause to think. "How did you cope with the death of your daughters? You lost two of them, didn't you?"

If the question upset her, Samara did not show it. Her expression faded back to blank neutrality. She nodded. "With Morinth, it was easier in some ways and harder in others. It was easy because I knew that innocents would continue to suffer as long as she lived, and their blood would be on my hands. I also knew that Morinth would rather die fighting me than be trapped in the monastery. It is a lovely home for those who choose to go there, but for her, it would have been an unbearable prison. It was hard because I had to make the killing blow myself. With my other daughter, Rila, I just felt helpless. There was nothing I could have done to save her." Samara studied Aria carefully. "Why are you asking me this?"

Aria took a while to answer. The first time she opened her mouth, the words would not come, and she had to swallow to loosen her tight throat. "I lost a daughter," she admitted, pleased when her voice remained relatively steady. "My only daughter. She was murdered by an enemy of mine."

"And you blame yourself," Samara said, understanding instantly.

Aria stared up at her with an unblinking gaze. "Don't you?"

"Sometimes, yes. I wonder if there was anything I could have done differently. Some way I could have helped Morinth to deal with her condition. Some way I could have saved Rila before the Reapers corrupted her."

"And how do you deal with those... unanswered questions?"

"I remember what I still have. My youngest daughter, Falere... and my memories of Rila and Morinth as well. I would live through them all again without hesitation, even knowing their lives would be cut short."

"Why?" Aria asked, even as she realized that she would do the same in a heartbeat.

"I think you know why, Aria T'Loak."

Blinking back the curious stinging sensation in her eyes, Aria pushed aside thoughts of Liselle to revisit later. Now was not the time.

"You have asked more than your fair share of questions now," Samara said, sensing that the conversation was over, "and you seem to have no further need of my answers."

Aria did not even try to pretend that she hadn't needed Samara, at least in this moment. Instead, she stood up from her couch, offering the Justicar her hands. Samara pressed their palms together briefly before backing away, heading down the stairs without a goodbye.

"What was that about?" Grizz asked once he determined that it was safe to approach Aria again. He seemed relieved that Samara was gone, making her way out of the club.

"Nothing important," Aria lied. "The Justicar and I just have more in common than you might think."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

When Aria arrived back at her apartment, she found Tevos alone in bed, bundled up tight in an unruly pile of covers. Even though the room's temperature wasn't cold, she was shivering. Feeling sorry for her, Aria bent down to unzip her boots, sliding them off her feet and leaving them beside the bed instead of putting them away. Her pants followed, and so did the rest of her clothes. Aria only paused for a moment before letting her leather jacket fall to the floor. As much as she treasured it, one night on the carpet wouldn't do it any harm.

Aria slid onto her side of the bed, grateful for its extravagant size. Tevos had rolled directly into the center of the mattress sometime during the night. With a sigh, she realized that her bondmate had stolen all of the sheets, and began the slow, careful process of un-tucking Tevos from her cocoon. At first, she whimpered in protest, nearly waking up, but when the covers came loose and Aria's warm body slid next to hers, she was soothed almost immediately. She grabbed Aria's arm, tugging it around her waist and snuggling back into her chest, the curve of her backside cradled by Aria's pelvis.

Although she had been tired when she entered the bedroom, Aria suddenly found herself wide awake. Her hand began rubbing absently over Tevos's flat stomach as thoughts of her conversation with Samara looped through her head. Thanks to her pride, Aria was almost never one to ask for advice, but for some reason, the Justicar's words had stuck with her. _'I would live through it all again without hesitation, even knowing their lives would be cut short...'_

For the past several years, Aria had considered Liselle's death a personal failure. Despite all the precautions she had taken, she hadn't been able to protect her daughter when it counted. She had closed herself off even more than before, refusing to admit that something she loved had been lost. But Samara was right. She would live through it all again if given the chance, simply because of love.

Aria stared down at Tevos, bringing her hand up along her lover's naked arm to stroke her shoulder. Apparently, the lesson she had tried to take from Liselle's death hadn't stuck. She knew she would be just as devastated if she lost Tevos. With sickening clarity, she remembered the fear she had felt after Tevos's abduction. The guilt. The bitter self-recrimination. It was almost a perfect echo of the feelings she had tried so hard to deny after Liselle's murder. Like it or not, she had deliberately put herself back in the same situation that she had tried so hard to avoid.

And still... the attachment was worth it. She couldn't leave Tevos if she tried, even to spare herself the pain of loss.

A thought flickered across Aria's mind, faint at first, but growing until it consumed her and she could think of nothing else. What did she have to lose? If she reframed her thinking, forgot her caution, and gave Tevos the daughter she wanted? The answer, Aria knew, was everything. But what she would gain would be greater than what she would lose.

Aria's hand moved up to the curve of Tevos's cheek. She looked peaceful, but Aria wondered how many sleepless nights she had spent wrestling with her own disappointments and questions. Her own behavior probably hadn't helped. After stroking her thumb across the outline of Tevos's tattoos for a few moments, she pulled away. She didn't want to disturb her bondmate any further.

Exhausted by her thoughts, but unable to shut them off, Aria lowered her head onto the cool side of the pillow, staring blankly over the top of her bondmate's crest at the far wall. The empty, quiet darkness provided her with no answers.

During the rest of the week, Aria tried to keep herself so busy that she would be too preoccupied to think, but Tevos and Liselle were never far from her thoughts. She even found herself wondering if Samara had recovered the girl she had been searching for. The Justicar had flipped some kind of switch in her brain, and now, she couldn't shut it off. The harder she tried, the worse it got, and the more she began to doubt her convictions.

Shaking down the recalcitrant Blood Pack for her share of their profits, checking over the various shipments entering and leaving her warehouses, and dealing with a brief firefight in the Gozu district didn't manage to distract her. She felt a little better when Churkas Flin, her Events Coordinator, sent her a message to tell her that the hanar jugglers she had booked a few years ago wanted to return for another show, but even that only managed to lift her mood for a few minutes.

By the time they boarded the ship for Thessia, Aria was eager to go. It was the first time she could ever remember being happy to leave Omega.

. . .

"You have no idea how glad I am that we aren't staying with your mother this time," Aria said as the skycar came to a stop. When Liara had offered them an invitation to stay at the T'Soni estate, she hadn't expected Tevos to accept. Her bondmate had been somewhat reserved and introspective since their conversation, and Aria knew she had scheduled an appointment with her therapist for the next week via holo. Surprisingly, Tevos had seemed almost eager to accept Liara's hospitality.

"I just don't have the energy to be around my mother right now," Tevos confessed as Grizz, who had accompanied them, opened both of the side doors from the driver's seat. "I love her, but she can be absolutely exhausting."

Aria refrained from commenting as she stepped out of the car, stretching briefly even though the drive had not been a long one. In her opinion, 'exhausting' was an understatement. However, she and Tevos's mother had come to an uneasy truce over the past year. The vid clips of Aria rescuing her daughter playing on the news for weeks after the fact probably had something to do with it.

"You know, it's a good thing we decided not to have children," Tevos said as she circled around the back of the car and joined Aria. Together, they stared at the front of the estate for a moment. "I don't want to deal with more of her disapproval."

For a moment, Aria felt a flash of hurt, and she was startled to realize that it wasn't just on Tevos's behalf. Something had changed in her during the past week, although she couldn't be sure what it meant yet. She shook the strange feelings of disappointment and confusion away, pleased when she noticed Liara and Shepard coming out of the front entrance to greet them. They would be an acceptable distraction.

"Shepard, Liara," Tevos said, cheering up considerably at the sight of their friends. She hurried across the drive to greet them, with Aria following a few steps behind. After all of them had traded kisses and embraces, they hurried into the house, leaving Grizz to move the Skycar into the garage.

When they stepped through the front door, Aria noticed with a mixture of annoyance and amusement that Aethyta was waiting for them just inside. Although Aria found Aethyta's obnoxious, grating personality funny when she was using it to bother other people – especially Liara – the two of them occasionally clashed when the same was directed at her. Tevos claimed that it was because they shared some striking similarities, but Aria always denied it even though she knew that her bondmate was right.

"Oh, it's you," Aethyta said when she saw Aria walk in. "I was hoping it would just be Tevos this time. You steal all my food."

"My food," Liara corrected, narrowing her eyes slightly. "And don't you dare. Not while I'm only a month away from my due date. If either of you tries, I don't care how unstable my biotics are, you're both getting a warp to the face." Aria could tell that Liara was serious, and resolved to wait for regular meals instead of going on any snack binges. It was too much of a risk.

"You don't even eat it," Aethyta complained. "You just hoard it for later and leave pieces wherever you go. What am I supposed to do, just let it go bad?"

"Cereal and my favorite pears don't go bad in the twenty seconds it takes me to get a glass of water from the kitchen," Liara said frostily.

"Look, it's about time for lunch anyway," Shepard said, trying to defuse the situation before it blew up into an argument. "Why don't I go make something for everyone?"

"What do the two of you have?" Tevos asked, eagerly trying to help change the subject as she, Shepard, and Liara began making their way towards the dining room and kitchen.

Aria was about to join them when she noticed Aethyta studying her with more thoughtfulness than usual. "What is it now?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip.

"You. You look even more sulky and pouty and dissatisfied than usual. What's your problem?"

Aethyta's bluntness wasn't exactly unexpected, but the fact that she had noticed Aria's mood was a surprise. She blinked, searching for an answer. She was about to settle on "None of your business" when a sudden thought occurred to her. "Aethyta, why did you have children?" she asked.

A slow spread across Aethyta's face. "Sex. Or are you still figuring out how asari reproduction works? I'm amazed Tevos has stayed with you this long if you don't know."

Aria wrinkled her nose in distaste. "You know that's not what I meant. Let me rephrase: what in the galaxy made someone like you think they could possibly be a good parent?"

"A good parent? Me?" Aethyta rolled her eyes. "Maybe in the last three years or so, but before that, I was a completely shit parent, at least to Liara. I'll admit that part of it was Benezia's fault, running off with the kid and all, but I could have stood up and told everyone Liara was mine. I was too much of a coward." She paused, and something that looked like regret crossed her face.

"What about your other daughters?"

"Oh, I did all right with them. Got them through the first hundred years or so without setting them on fire or losing them, anyway. With my two oldest, I let their fathers do most of the heavy lifting when they were babies, and took over more as they grew up. I was never great with infants."

Aria couldn't help remembering her own experience with Liselle after her birth. The frustrated hours spent wondering what the hell she had gotten herself into on the days she did take care of her daughter herself. Passing her off to the caretaker she had hired and strapping on her gun as she walked out the door on the days that she didn't. The duality of her life at that point had been uncomfortable and ill-fitting, to say the least. Briefly, she wondered if it would be easier with Tevos around.

"Do you ever regret it?" Aria asked. "Not being there for Liara?"

Aethyta didn't even have to think about her answer. "All the damn time. I might not be a huge fan of babies, but I love kids. I always wonder what Liara's first word was, what she liked about school, what kind of trouble she got into. She's told me some things about what her life was like growing up, but it isn't the same." She frowned, scrutinizing Aria more closely and folding her arms over her chest. "Why all the questions, T'Loak? Please tell me you're not pregnant. You're exasperating enough to deal with already."

"Very funny," Aria drawled. "I was just about to say the same thing about you. Fortunately, no. I'm not pregnant. The first time was awful enough."

"Ah. Then I'll make sure to send a present to Tevos in a few months."

Aria's eyes widened. "She's not pregnant either," she said, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Despite her obnoxiousness, Aethyta could be surprisingly perceptive.

"She will be by the time I buy something for her."

"Not likely," Aria said, although for the first time, she was beginning to doubt her own words.

Aethyta only gave her an infuriating smirk. "I'm not stupid. You don't ask questions without a reason. You hate idle conversation almost as much as I do. So, you're worried you'll end up being a terrible parent, too?"

"I already was a terrible parent once," Aria said. "I don't need to repeat the experience."

"But you want to," Aethyta insisted.

Aria shook her head. "Not me. Tevos. But she's rational enough to realize that raising a child with me is an awful idea, so she isn't pushing the issue."

Aethyta looked far from convinced. She gave Aria a long, slow up-and-down before nodding her head. "Uh-huh," she said in her low, gravely voice. "You really believe that, do you? Well, I won't ruin your delusions. But when she's pregnant in a few months, I'm going to laugh at you."

Aria was just about to start disagreeing – loudly and vehemently – with Aethyta's assessment when she saw Tevos re-enter the room, one hand propped expectantly on her hip. "Are you coming?" she asked, giving Aria a smile. "Shepard has some Noverian rum to go with lunch, if you'd like..."

"Lunch sounds like a plan, but I'll pass on the rum," Aria said casually, ignoring the mild look of surprise on Tevos's face. So far, her resolve to cut back on the alcohol, at least until she had sorted through all the confusing thoughts in her head, had given her more than the usual amount of headaches, but otherwise, it hadn't impacted her too negatively. Although she liked to drink, Aria rarely abused the privilege, having seen the way drunkenness rapidly destroyed other people in her profession.

"Sorry I kept her back. We were just talking about how Aria wants to knock you up," Aethyta said, ignoring the fierce glare Aria shot in her direction.

Fortunately, Tevos seemed to take Aethyta's inappropriate statement in stride, although her smile threatened to fade for a split second. "I'm sure Liara's daughter will be more than enough for us to handle when she arrives," Tevos said neutrally. Not wanting to continue the conversation, she turned back to the kitchen. "Shall we? I don't want to keep Liara and Shepard waiting alone with the food."

That spurred Aethyta into action, and she brushed past Tevos on her way to the kitchen, not wanting to surrender her portion to her daughter. Aria hung back for a moment, running her hand over the small on Tevos's back. "Are you all right?" she whispered beside her bondmate's crest.

"Of course," Tevos said, and although her voice was calm, Aria couldn't help but doubt her answer.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

"You can't keep directing passive aggressive remarks at Aethyta for the rest of the visit," Tevos said in a scolding voice as they walked up the stairs to the second floor guest room. In previous months, they had spent at least some of their nights in the master bedroom, but with Liara so close to her due date, their arrangement had been put on temporary hold.

"I wouldn't call them passive aggressive," Aria protested, pausing on the landing and deliberately ignoring her bondmate's disapproving glare.

Tevos rolled her eyes. "You're right. I'd just call them aggressive."

Aria frowned, her forehead tattoo lowering. "She shouldn't have spoken to you like that earlier." She didn't need to clarify what she was talking about. Both of them remembered the moment clearly.

"Aethyta doesn't know what I've been going through lately," Tevos pointed out. "She was just being her usual blunt self. Hurting my feelings was an unintentional side effect. It's certainly not the rudest thing anyone has ever said to me..."

Aria continued up the second flight of stairs, avoiding the railing and nearly taking them two at a time. She felt lonely, frustrated, and confused all at once, and the strange jumble of emotions had her wired with energy. Tevos followed behind at a more moderate pace, smiling a little as she admired the shape of Aria's backside in her tight, form-fitting leather pants. The sight alone was reason enough not to catch up.

Once she reached the top of the stairs, she found Aria leaning against the doorjamb, her face still knotted with unreleased tension. Her posture was stiff instead of relaxed, and she looked like some kind of wild predator about to strike, keeping energy coiled in her muscles. Tevos felt her heart beat faster and fly up into her throat, throbbing at the dip just above her collarbone. Even though she knew it came from a place of frustration, she couldn't deny that Aria was incredibly sexy when she was pent up like this.

"I don't suppose I could interest you in a nightcap?" she asked.

"I'll pass." Aria pushed herself off the wall, gripping Tevos by the hips and tugging her forward. "I'd rather skip straight to the part where I fuck you raw." She smirked when she noticed Tevos's eyes grow wider and darker at the suggestion. "Now... you have five seconds to get out of that dress before I rip it off."

Although she knew she couldn't possibly strip in five seconds, especially when Aria had such a firm grip on her waist, Tevos made a show of trying. She reached behind her head to undo the hook and tug at the zipper, but Aria didn't even bother finishing her count before she pounced, flipping them around and pinning her against the wall. "This is in my way," she growled, seizing the dress at the neck and giving it a firm tug in opposite directions with slightly glowing hands. The fabric ripped straight down the middle, and Tevos shuddered as the cool air hit her bare flesh. Aria's hands followed quickly, palming her breasts and squeezing.

"Goddess, the way you touch me," Tevos murmured, tilting her chin up and searching for Aria's lips. They came crashing down against hers, and a familiar tongue pushed into her mouth, claiming it thoroughly. Somehow, they managed to stagger back through the door and into the bedroom, still locked in a kiss as Aria kicked the door shut behind them.

They didn't make it to the bed. Aria lowered Tevos down onto the floor instead and tore off the rest of her dress, not caring where the ruined fabric ended up. Her mouth latched on to the slender column of Tevos's throat, determined to leave a mark there that would take days to fade. "Mine," she growled, soothing the bite with a few open-mouthed kisses.

"Always," Tevos agreed. She could feel Aria's weight on top of her, trapping her against the rug, but she tried to push forward with her hips anyway, searching for some kind of purchase. Unable to resist, Aria lifted one of her knees until it was pressed directly between her bondmate's legs. Tevos took the invitation, grinding down and feeling the firmness of Aria's thigh through the fabric of her underwear.

"Goddess, so wet... I can feel it through these..." Aria reached down, abandoning her breasts and touching the waistband of the only covering she had left. "They need to go." She pulled her leg back just long enough to tug them down and off, not even noticing when they caught on Tevos's ankle. She was too focused on her goal.

Tevos gasped, giving a full-body shudder as Aria's fingers found her. They knew exactly where to go after years of familiarity, and two of them sank effortlessly inside of her without any preparation. Her thumb began rubbing firm circles over her clit, coaxing the hard ridge out of its hood and making it twitch against the pad. "I'm not going to last if you do that," Tevos said, her eyes already swirling with black. She could feel the beginnings of the meld buzzing at her temples, pounding at the back of her neck, and when Aria's fingers curled forward, the spike of pleasure only intensified.

"Who says I want you to last?" Aria asked. Sometimes, she loved making Tevos wait, forcing her to plead for release before finally granting it to her. But tonight, she was too impatient to go through all that. Instead, she wanted to make her bondmate come as many times as possible, to fuck her until she couldn't walk, think, or form any word except for her name. She wanted Tevos's complete surrender, although she couldn't articulate why.

"Please, Aria..." Tevos begged, hoping Aria would allow her at least one quick orgasm to take the edge off. The fingers inside of her were moving purposefully, deliberately curling against her front wall on every thrust.

"Tonight, you have my permission to come as many times as your body can stand," Aria said, placing another nip just below her jaw. Tevos cried out, but tilted her head to the side to give Aria's mouth more access. "But I'm going to keep fucking you until you either pass out or beg me to stop."

"That won't... that won't happen any – any time soon," Tevos whispered, her words falling apart as Aria continued thrusting inside of her. The force was enough to shove her hips backwards and make the carpet scratch along her back, but she didn't care. She was too focused on pleasure to notice the pain. Aria's thumb had abandoned its circles and started an up-and-down flicking motion that matched the pace of the fingers inside of her, and the dual sensations made Tevos tremble on the edge of release.

"Don't fight it." She felt more than heard Aria form the low words beside her crest. "Come for me."

Tevos reached out with the meld and sent both of them flying. Her body arched, shuddering with contractions, and she felt Aria grind down against her thigh, sharing every pulse even though she hadn't stripped out of her clothes. A brief thought crossed her mind – perhaps it wasn't even hers – and her inner muscles twitched as she realized that the front of Aria's leather pants were going to be covered in her.

When Aria finally stopped thrusting, she did not pull out right away. Instead, she looked down between their bodies and smirked. "Good thing I have spares," she said, giving her fingers one last curl and making Tevos cry out.

"Well, since they're already ruined..." Tevos panted, finally able to speak as the brief but intense meld began to fade.

Aria laughed, pulling her hand back and sliding her wet fingers between her lips for a brief taste. She took several long moments to clean them with her tongue before pulling them out with a pop. "You really like leather, don't you?" she asked, standing up and leaving her panting bondmate sprawled across the carpet. "Well, I suppose I can indulge you."

"Indulge me?" Tevos snorted, propping herself up on her elbows as she watched Aria stride over to the bags at the foot of their bed. "You're the one who jumped me outside the door! It's a good thing Aethyta is still downstairs."

"Please," Aria said, opening the smallest one and rummaging through it, "don't mention Aethyta right now." She tried to swallow down the edge of impatience in her voice, but all of her frustration had shifted into a fierce, driving need somewhere between the stairs and the bedroom floor. Part of her felt like if she wasn't buried inside of Tevos within the next minute, all the untapped energy and tension she was carrying would explode out of her. Fortunately, her cock was near the top, wrapped securely in a protective cloth to keep it separated from the rest of her clothes. She took it out and hurried to unzip her pants, pushing them down to mid-thigh.

Once she had enough room, Aria eased the shorter end of the toy inside, letting out a soft, low hiss when the felt the sensation transmitting plate line up. She wrapped her hand around the shaft and gave it a slow stroke, pulsing around the part inside of her as the pressure ran all the way down to her clit. Satisfied, she pulled her pants back up instead of tugging them the rest of the way off, letting the length of the cock push out through the open zipper. She looked at Tevos, who was still watching her with wide, dark eyes, and forced out another word through her tight throat. "Up."

Tevos obeyed instantly, climbing gracefully to her feet and folding her hands behind her back, waiting for more instructions. Too impatient to order Tevos to come to her, Aria closed the distance herself. As soon as her hands found Tevos's hips again, she walked her back to the nearest wall instead of the bed. This time, she had no intention of letting Tevos go until she had fucked her into exhaustion.

Driven by the fierce possessiveness throbbing in her head and the fullness pounding along the length of her cock, Aria forced Tevos's legs open, hooking one of them around her waist and lining herself up in a matter of seconds. She didn't wait for Tevos to adjust. Her hips slammed forward, and she felt heat slide along her length, taking her in all the way to the base. Their position left Tevos completely open to her, and she groaned as she realized that she could push as deep as she wanted. She set a selfish tempo, driving forward in a relentless rhythm to try and ease the pressure building at the base of her shaft. Tevos's whimpers and the desperate hands clutching at the sleeves of her jacket barely registered.

Even though she was already inside of her lover, Aria wanted more. Her mind was clouded with the need to claim what was hers. She let her teeth sink into Tevos's shoulder, leaving another mark as her hands clutched desperately at Tevos's hips. "Fuck, I need..." She needed to be deeper. Closer. The force of her thrusts made Tevos's back scrape against the wall and tore beautiful cries from her throat every time she was filled, but it wasn't enough. Something was driving her, something primal that she couldn't quite understand.

Desperate to be closer even though their bodies were already pressed as tight as possible, Aria adjusted her grip, sliding her hands down to cup the swell of Tevos's ass. With a short grunt of effort and a small flare of purple light, she lifted Tevos up and off the floor. Tevos instinctively hooked her other knee around Aria's hips and held on to the back of her neck to keep from falling. "Please..." Tevos's hands fisted the red collar of her jacket, pulling tighter with every stroke inside of her. "Please, don't stop –"

Aria was already well beyond stopping. She had been stripped down to raw need. Her mind was buried within Tevos's before she even realized it, and she began drawing, taking, making sure that everything she touched was hers. _'Give me everything.'_ The thought shone clear as it ran between them.

Tevos shuddered, then submitted, crying out and pulsing around Aria's cock in a desperate release. Wetness spilled over her thighs, which were still wrapped firmly around Aria's hips. Aria felt her own release flood from her in the same moment. The shaft of her cock rippled, and she tried to thrust forward even though Tevos had already taken every inch of her. She bruised Tevos's lips with another harsh kiss, feeling far from satisfied even as she rode out her orgasm.

_'More,'_ she demanded, ignoring her lover's aftershocks and the strain in her arms and back. _'I need – more of you... closer...'_ She felt Tevos falter within the meld, and then shy away from her, almost as if she was afraid. It was so uncharacteristic that Aria stopped after her next thrust, feeling Tevos tremble against her chest.

_'I – I can't... too much...'_

With a sudden bolt of clarity, Aria realized exactly what she was asking for, and what Tevos had meant. For a moment, she was angry, hurt, even betrayed that Tevos had planted this idea in her mind, but when she felt her bondmate recoil even further from her, trying to sever the meld, she reached out and pulled her back. No. This had come from within her. She had been wrestling with it all night. She had already made the decision without realizing it. The relentless force driving her suddenly made sense, and it had started well before Tevos melded with her.

Finally, Aria surrendered. She wanted this. Needed this. Not for Tevos, but for her. Lust was driving her, but love had changed her mind. _'Take what you need.'_

Tevos's response was wordless, a surge of emotion, surprise mixed with the confirmation of something she already knew. Fear and hope warred with each other.

Aria began moving again, latching on to the need that had consumed her before. With each thrust of her hips, she could feel Tevos break down a little more, draw a little closer. _'Are you sure?'_ quickly became _'please'_ as she was kissed. Aria filled her with fast, harsh pumps of her hips, her body acting purely on instinct. Her thoughts broke down into pieces. Tevos was _hers._ To take. To fill. To have. _Hers._ And Tevos was going to have her daughter.

Then, she felt it. The link, the pull, the drawing out of herself that made her part of something larger. Suddenly, it was Aria's turn to surrender to Tevos's possessiveness. She opened her mind, erasing all of her boundaries, wanting Tevos to take everything that she was. She cried out as Tevos read her, splitting her apart down to her core and pulling her so close that it was impossible to remain herself anymore. The new closeness brought wave after wave of blissful pleasure, and for one moment, she felt lost in a sea of something that was herself, but not herself.

Aria crashed back into her own body just as she was coming. She pulled Tevos forward, sealing them together as she shot her release into the tight, clinging silk fluttering around her cock. She stayed buried as deep as she could, unwilling to pull out for even a moment. Tevos pulsed around her and clutched at her jacket with each fresh burst of warmth that spilled into her. She threw her head back, careless of the wall behind her, and Aria thought she heard something like her name.

A moment later, both of them were in a heap on the floor, bodies humming with biotics they couldn't remember using and completely unable to figure out how they had gotten there.

"Did we just...?" It took Aria a moment to realize that she had been the one to speak.

The reminder of what they had done was enough to send Tevos into a series of brief aftershocks around the shaft still buried inside her, and it took her a few seconds to answer. "Yes. We just."

Part of Aria expected to feel terrified. Worried, at the very least. Perhaps even angry. Instead, a ball of something small and warm began to grow in her chest, expanding out until she was practically bursting with it. Joy, pride, even a little bit of smugness. And love. For Tevos, and for... Aria pulled out, rolling onto her back and grinning at the ceiling as Tevos found a comfortable place against her shoulder. "Holy fuck. We're going to have a daughter."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

The next morning, Aria woke to sunlight streaming in from the bedroom window, the warmth of her bondmate tucked against her shoulder, and a blind panic. Her eyes shot open, and she looked down at Tevos, who was still sleeping peacefully on top of her rapidly thudding heart. Aria couldn't breathe. They had actually done it. She had actually done it. For one unguarded moment, she had completely forgotten her sense and all of the reasons she was completely unqualified to be a parent. The worst part was that she couldn't even blame Tevos. It had been her decision.

They were going to have a daughter. A daughter she was utterly unprepared for. A second chance to screw up..

Suddenly, Tevos's weight on her chest felt crushing. As carefully and swiftly as she could, Aria tried to shift her back over to her side of the bed. Tevos stirred for a moment, but thankfully remained asleep, and Aria made sure to slide one of her pillows beneath her head to try and keep her comfortable. She definitely wasn't ready for the conversation that the two of them needed to have when Tevos woke up.

Aria glanced around the bedroom, feeling incredibly claustrophobic even in the large space."Shit," she cursed quietly, letting out a soft, improvised string of profanity as she picked her way around their unopened suitcases and the remains of Tevos's torn dress.

As she crept out of the room, Aria cast one last glance at Tevos sleeping peacefully on the bed. She had pulled the pillow close, and her lips were curved in a soft smile. Aria felt her heart ache, and part of her knew she should go back to bed, but her mind was a whirlwind of confused, worried thoughts, and the last thing she wanted to do was unintentionally lash out at Tevos after what they had shared last night.

Last night. Memories of the meld came flooding back, and Aria felt herself shiver. She had never felt closer to Tevos than in that moment, the moment when the meld had taken over and swept the two of them together into something new. No, not something. Someone. And in about a year and a half, that someone was going to arrive, fully formed and requiring her constant attention.

Aria shook herself and snuck through the door, closing it quietly behind her. At first, she debated going down to the kitchen to sneak a drink of the Noverian rum that Liara had offered her yesterday, but then she thought better of it. So far, drinking had only helped her bury her problems, not solve them. Now was the worst possible time to fall back into old habits. Instead, she headed up, taking the stairs at a jog and wandering down the hall until she was standing at the door to the master bedroom. Without thinking about how early it was, and without bothering to knock, she opened the door.

Liara and Shepard were both fast asleep, the former on her side, and the latter sprawled out in every way possible. Her hair stuck up at horrifying angles, and she was snoring with her face smushed against one of the pillows. As Aria watched, she let out a long, low moan, stretched, and flopped into an even more impossible position.

The noise - or perhaps Aria's presence - seemed to wake Liara up, and she blinked her eyes sleepily before realizing that she and Shepard weren't alone. She sat up, gasping and instinctively pulling the sheets over her breasts. When she realized it was only Aria who had disturbed her, her surprised look became a glare, and she let the sheet fall. "Aria! What are you doing here? And why are you naked?"

Aria suddenly realized that in her haste to escape the bedroom, she had completely forgotten to put on any clothes. "It's not what it looks like," she said. "I just… forgot."

"You forgot?" Liara asked skeptically, narrowing her eyes. She winced slightly, putting a hand over the swell of her stomach, and it took her a moment to pick up her sentence. "How does someone forget clothes?"

"Tevos is pregnant," Aria blurted out.

Liara stared. Then, she glowered. "I haven't been able to get comfortable all night because of my back, and when I finally fall asleep, you wake me up with this?" She reached behind her, pulling out one of the pillows she had been using and lifting it up into the air with a familiar blue glow.

Aria put up her hands, but it was too late. The pillow crashed directly into her face, sending her backwards a few steps and making her flail in a very undignified manner. "Hey! Unnecessary violence!"

"That's ridiculous coming from you!" Liara shouted back, completely forgetting that Shepard was asleep beside her. Fortunately, Shepard was dead to the world, still snoring peacefully away and drooling a little on her pillowcase.

"Stop it!" Aria deflected another pillow, but missed the one that collided with her stomach. She bent over slightly, more out of surprise than any real pain. "I come to you because I need advice, and you're throwing pillows at me?"

Liara tried to reach for another missile, but let out a grunt of annoyance when she realized that there were no pillows left except for the one Shepard was using. She sighed. "Like you would take advice from anyone if your life depended on it," she muttered. She tried to shift on the bed, obviously not comfortable with her current position.

"That's not true," Aria protested. "I listened to you when you told me I should start a more serious relationship with Tevos."

"A once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, I'm sure," Liara said.

"Look. You're right. I hate going to anyone for advice... especially you, because you can be incredibly smug about it. And I hate admitting there's something I don't know how to handle. But honestly, right now? I'm terrified."

The raw desperation on Aria's face finally got Liara's attention and made her see past her own annoyance. "Was it an accident?" she asked, the edge gone from her voice.

Aria sighed. In some ways, it would have been easier if it had been an accident. "No," she said. "It wasn't. I…" She swallowed, suddenly much more aware of her nakedness now that she was felt emotionally vulnerable. "I asked her to do it. For a moment, I thought… I don't know what I thought. I just… wanted to have a daughter with her. Because I love her."

"And now?"

"Now, I think it's a terrible idea. Liselle is more than enough proof that I can't be a competent parent. Goddess knows what I'll do to ruin this one's life after she's born…"

Liara smiled, and for a moment, Aria felt her worry turn to anger. "Stop smirking at me like that!" she snapped, narrowing her eyes. For a moment, biotics flared around her fists, although she had no intention of actually hurting Liara, no matter how infuriating she might be. "Either give me some advice without being smug about it, or I'm leaving."

"You don't need my advice," Liara said. "I already know you're going to be a much better parent this time."

Aria blinked. "Why?"

"Did you worry about ruining Liselle when you had her?"

"No," Aria answered after a moment's thought. "I worried one of my enemies would try to kill her, but… mostly, I was resentful that she was changing my life. She made it harder for me to do my job. You just don't picture the Queen of Omega as a mother. It didn't fit."

"Exactly. But this time, you actually care." When she saw the look of anger return to Aria's face, Liara quickly amended her statement. "I'm not saying you didn't love Liselle. Of course you did. But now, you're not thinking about all the negative ways a daughter is going to impact you. You're thinking about her welfare instead of your own."

It took a few moments for Liara's words to sink in. When Aria broke the silence, she sounded unsure. "You think that's enough? Just… trying to do what's best for my daughter instead of myself?"

"Think about how different you are now than you were then," Liara said. "You met Tevos, and started putting some of her needs before your own. I know it wasn't always easy for you, but if you can do that for her out of love, surely you can do it for your daughter as well."

Part of Aria hated to admit it, but Liara was right. At any other point in her life, she would have considered putting others before herself to be a sign of weakness. Now, she was slowly coming to realize that it was actually a strength. She glanced at Shepard, who was still sprawled in an impossible position and snoring away. That same strength had helped her to save the entire galaxy from the Reapers. Aria knew she would try to do the same and more for Tevos. For Liselle. For the daughter that wasn't even here yet. Even for Shepard and Liara. Determination and the hunger for power had made her strong. Love would make her stronger.

Perhaps it didn't fit with the image she had carried of herself over the centuries, and perhaps her old, self-centered habits would never completely die. But maybe...

A low whimper interrupted her thoughts, and Aria suddenly realized that it had come from Liara. She was still sitting up, but her eyes were glazed over with _something_ Aria recognized immediately - pain. When she spoke, her voice was much softer than before, and even a little scared. "Aria? What did it feel like when you went into labor?"

Liara didn't need to explain. Aria hurried forward, reaching out for Liara and placing both hands on her stomach. "Let me see," she said, asking for permission. Liara nodded her head once, and she reached out with her mind, drawing it in.

For a moment, Aria was surprised at the landscape that met her, and it took some adjustment to make sense of it. Liara's mind was scarred with streaks of exhausted, ancient-feeling wisdom, almost like a matriarch, but underneath, she was vibrant and trembling and very, very afraid, clearly still a maiden in many ways. And she was slowly working herself into a panic.

_'Relax,'_ Aria thought.

_'But I'm not ready yet...'_ Liara's response was stuck on a loop, and Aria had to deliberately seize her mind and redirect her attention down to the child she was carrying. Through Liara, she felt the brilliant pulse of new life, unformed but clearly there, and it made her breathless. Although she had only carried one child, Aria had clear memories of Liselle's birth and what it had felt like. The pain in Liara's lower back and the rhythmic shivers that coursed through her were familiar.

Aria felt Liara cling to her, obviously scared, and she offered what comfort she could, breaking apart the frantic thoughts that rushed through her mind before they could find a hold. _'We're going to take you to the hospital. I know you wanted to give birth at home, but you're so young, and this is too early… I'll wake Shepard.'_

_'Shepard,'_ Liara protested. _'Don't. She'll worry… she'll...'_

But Aria was already pulling away, severing the meld as gently and swiftly as possible. When the black left her eyes, she realized that she was holding Liara in her arms, not caring about their nakedness. She let go, allowing Liara to hold her hand as she gave Shepard a firm, painful nudge in the side.

Shepard grunted, blinked groggily, and began to push herself up into a seated position. When she saw Liara, she smiled, reaching out to stroke her face. Then, she realized that Aria was next to her. "Huh?" she mumbled, rubbing a hand over her eyes to try and clear her vision.

Although she had protested before, Liara seemed relieved that her bondmate was awake. She reached out for Shepard, pressing against the confused human and clinging to her. Before she could explain what was happening, another wave of pain washed over her, and she tightened her grip on Shepard's forearms, letting out a low groan.

Shepard immediately shook off her drowsiness. She cast a nervous, searching glance at Aria, who only nodded once in silent confirmation. "Go get Aethyta," she said. "She's across the hall from your room. I'm going to stay with her and call the hospital."

Aria's forehead tattoo lifted in surprise at that realization, but she didn't have time to dwell on it or come up with a suitably clever response. She hurried back out of Shepard and Liara's bedroom, taking the stairs at a quick pace. It didn't take her long to reach the bottom, and instead of turning towards her room, she went the opposite direction, scanning the doors to in an attempt to figure out which one was Aethyta's. She wasn't very familiar with the second floor, since they had stayed closer to Shepard and Liara during previous visits.

Finally, after ducking into two bathrooms and a closet, she found the right one. Aethyta was fast asleep, although her snores weren't nearly as loud as Shepard's. Deciding that getting to close to Aethyta this early in the morning was bound to end badly, Aria raised her voice instead, slapping her palm repeatedly against the door. "Wake up!"

Aethyta opened her eyes, squinting at Aria and pushing herself up. Thankfully, she was covered by the sheets on the bed. "What the hell are you doing in my room without any clothes?" she said, her gravelly voice even deeper than usual. "Shepard and Liara are upstairs, dumbass." Aria was slightly shocked that Aethyta had somehow figured out about their arrangement, but she didn't get a chance to respond before Aethyta continued. "Unless you wanted to find me, in which case, I'm sorry, but I don't sleep with people even more arrogant than me. Besides, wasn't last night enough? You and Tevos took forever to quiet down…"

Aria clenched her teeth, resisting the temptation to give her biotics free rein. Apparently, Aethyta was even more infuriating in the mornings. "Your daughter's in labor," she forced out, clenching her fists until her fingernails made indents in the center of her palms. "So you might want to get your wrinkled ass out of bed."

"But it's not time yet…" Aethyta's voice trailed off. "Well, shit." She hurried to climb out of bed, leaving Aria to throw a hand up over her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look at anything she couldn't un-see. Normally, nudity didn't bother her, but Aethyta was an exception. "What are you waiting for, then?" Aethyta shouted over the banging of dresser drawers. "Go wake Tevos and find some damn clothes! We have to go!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

The ride to the hospital was a frantic, loud, and nerve-wracking experience. Shepard had refused to allow Liara to wait for the ambulance, insisting that she could drive to the nearest hospital faster herself. Liara had strenuously objected, arms wrapped protectively around her stomach and wincing through the pain. Eventually, Tevos, who looked more put together than the rest of them despite having been woken up last, came up with a compromise. She used all of her diplomatic skills to convince Shepard to stay in the back seat of their Skycar with Liara and Aethyta while Grizz drove.

Now, all of them were crammed into a small upstairs room at the hospital, waiting impatiently for news. Liara's doctor had taken one look at her after their harried arrival and rushed her off for emergency surgery, leaving the rest of them behind. Shepard paced back and forth, covering the entire length of the room with just a few long strides. Her hands were folded behind her back in a decidedly military fashion, and her face was knitted with worry at being separated from her bondmate. Aethyta looked slightly less distressed, but only just. She was sitting with her legs apart, elbows on her knees, feet tapping anxiously on the tile floor.

Aria watched Shepard pace, running her hand up and down Tevos's thigh in a soothing motion. So far, thanks to Liara's early labor and their frantic rush to the hospital, the two of them simply hadn't had time to talk about the events of last night. Aria wasn't sure whether to be thankful for the reprieve, or feel guilty because it was at Liara's expense. The expression on the doctor's face had not been promising, and she knew that they wouldn't have separated Liara from Shepard unless things were rapidly deteriorating.

Tevos put her hand over Aria's, halting it at her knee and giving it a gentle squeeze before standing up. "I think I'm going to get something to drink. Would any of you -"

"Coffee," Aethyta grunted before she could finish her sentence.

Tevos blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"A human drink," she said. "It's not so bad having a human for a daughter-in-law. You can even put alcohol in it. What do you think, Shepard?"

Shepard stopped pacing long enough to shake her head, and as Aria looked at her, she noticed that the Commander's hands were trembling. "I don't want anything. I just…" Her voice trailed off, lips pressed tightly together, and her eyes looked exhausted.

"Come on," Aethyta said, standing up from her seat to join Tevos by the door. "I'll show you." As she passed Aria, she bent down and muttered a low, urgent "Fix it," through the corner of her mouth, nodding her head in Shepard's direction. Honestly, Aria had no idea why Aethyta thought she was capable of fixing anything. Reassurance wasn't exactly one of her strong suits. To avoid making a scene, she gave Aethyta a brief, subtle nod.

Apparently satisfied with her answer, Aethyta opened the door and allowed Tevos to walk through first. Aria heard Tevos begin to ask Grizz whether he wanted anything before it shut and blocked off the rest of the conversation. She was grateful that her faithful bodyguard had taken a post outside the door, ready to intercept any nosey reporters when they inevitably figured out that the T'Soni-Shepard birth was happening several weeks earlier than expected.

Aria sighed, but made no move to get up when Shepard resumed her pacing. She felt some of the same nervous energy herself. "Thinking about what will happen if she dies?" she asked, knowing that Shepard would appreciate bluntness more than anything. With modern technology, death during childbirth was incredibly rare, but Liara had several risk factors already.

The question made Shepard stop. "Liara, or Athena?" she asked, her arms still clasped behind her back as she stared out the nearest window. It faced a wall, so there wasn't much to distract her.

"Either one."

Shepard was silent for a long moment. When she answered, she did not turn away from the window. "If Athena dies… maybe it's strange, but I'm worried about how Liara will handle it." She paused. "I wonder if that means I don't love her yet."

"You know that's not true," Aria said. "It just means that the thought of your daughter dying is so painful that your brain is forcing you not to think about it. But you can't _not_ think about it, so you're focusing on Liara instead of yourself."

Shepard finally moved to face Aria, taking a few shaky steps towards the chair beside her and sinking down into it. She rested her elbows on her thighs, much like Aethyta had earlier, and stared at the ground. "I guess you're right. But if Liara dies… God, I don't know how I'll handle it. I'll blame myself. She wanted to have children right away, just in case… just in case Miranda and Dr. Chakwas were wrong about my implants extending my life. She wanted me to see them grow up."

Aria heard the tears in Shepard's voice, and she averted her eyes just enough to give her friend some privacy. Shepard continued speaking, unable to stop now that she had started. "And I'm upset about stupid things that don't really matter. I'm angry that Liara couldn't have the baby at home. I'm pissed that it happened before Tali and Garrus could get here. They're her Godparents… they were supposed to meet her as soon as she was born. And I keep thinking that this is probably how Liara felt every single time I went on a mission without her, and - and after I died. Like her heart was taken away, and there was no guarantee she would ever get it back."

"Do you think Liara regretted it?" Aria asked. "Being in love with a soldier predestined to save the galaxy?"

"I wasn't predestined to do anything," Shepard muttered. "I chose to do something because no one else would. And I didn't save the galaxy. My crew did that. The krogan army and the quarian fleet and the turian military and the geth armada did that. The beacon just happened to fry my brain instead of someone else's."

"But it was your choice to do something with it," Aria pointed out. "Just like it was Liara's choice to bond with you and have children with you. You didn't make her. This isn't your fault."

Shepard sighed, letting her head hang lower. "I don't know if I can do this without her, Aria. We were supposed to do everything together, as a team. Get married. Have kids. Grow old. Just… live. And - and I need her. I can't do this without her."

_'I can't do this without her.'_ The words stuck in Aria's mind, looping over and over, changing and shifting until they had transformed into something that was the complete opposite:_ 'I can do this with her.'_ Maybe she had been right before - on her own, she wasn't a good parent. She had proved that with Liselle. But this time, she wouldn't be alone. She had Tevos.

Tevos would help her through those first few terrible years when she had to give up some of herself to take care care of a tiny, helpless infant. When she was older, Tevos would make sure that their daughter knew how to negotiate and speak on her own behalf with something other than a gun or biotics. And Tevos would give their daughter a far better moral compass than she ever could. After all, some of it had already rubbed off on her since the start of their relationship.

And there were gifts that she could give their daughter, too. Determination. Fearlessness. Confidence. And, of course, all the biotic training she could squeeze in. If her daughter couldn't take out an entire squad of mercs on her own by the time she was eighty, she would consider it a personal failure.

Aria felt the tightness in her chest finally start to fade. She turned to Shepard, who was still staring blankly at the far wall. "Shepard," she said, reaching out and giving her friend's forearm a brief squeeze, "Liara survived her mother's death, your death, the Shadow Broker, the destruction of Thessia, and more Reaper troops than most people could even imagine. She's going to survive this, too."

Shepard blinked, staring down at Aria's hand resting on her arm. Then, she raised her head, giving Aria a small, hopeful smile. "You believe that?"

"Of course I believe that. And your kid is going to be just fine. Her father came back from the dead twice."

That made Shepard laugh, and she sat up straighter. "Let's hope Liara managed to grab that part of my genetics, then."

A knock on the door made both of them turn, expecting to see Tevos and Aethyta, but a nurse entered the room instead. When Shepard caught sight of the scrubs she was wearing, she shot out of her chair and hurried over to her, eager for news. "My wife - my daughter… are they all right?"

The human term threw the asari for a moment, but she seemed to recognize Shepard's desperation. "Your bondmate is out of surgery and awake. Her blood pressure was dangerously high, but her vitals stabilized as soon as we delivered your daughter." She gave Shepard a reassuring smile. "She's doing just fine as well. She'll need to stay here at the hospital for a few days, but we won't need to keep her in the neonatal unit."

Aria could see the stress and worry seep out of Shepard as the stiff line of her shoulders melted. At the same moment, Tevos and Aethyta came back down the hall with drinks in hand, automatically speeding up when they noticed the door was open. As soon as they saw that Shepard looked happy, their faces broke out into relieved smiles. "They're all right?" Aethyta asked, directing the question to the room at large.

"Fine," Shepard said, pulling her father-in-law into a tight hug that nearly sent Aethyta stumbling backwards. When she pulled away, the matriarch looked a little dazed. "When can we see them?" Shepard asked the nurse, impatience quickly rushing in to take the place of her worry.

"Now, if you like."

She didn't have to say anything else. Shepard rushed past the surprised-looking nurse, out the door, and down the hall. Aethyta followed at a slightly slower pace, stopping to look back at Aria before she exited the room. "I'm going to wait outside the door, give them a minute alone," she said. Aria picked up on her meaning and nodded. She and Tevos could wait for a little while longer.

Suddenly realizing that they were alone together for the first time that morning, Aria and Tevos shared a nervous sort of silence. They fidgeted, trying to read each other, and a slow blush began to crawl across Tevos's cheeks beneath her tattoos. She tried to speak, but after a moment of indecision, she closed her mouth. Aria smiled and stepped forward, opening her arms, and Tevos gratefully fell into them, relieved that she didn't have to say anything after all.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to wake up together this morning," Aria said, running her hand up and down Tevos's back as she felt a warm cheek nuzzle into her shoulder, rubbing over the material of her jacket. "And - I'm sorry it took me so long to realize…" She paused, struggling to put all of her earlier thoughts into words. "I don't want to have children -" She felt Tevos tense in her arms, and stopped only long enough to press a kiss to the top of her bondmate's crest. "- not without you. Alone, I was a terrible parent. But with you… maybe I can actually do this."

"I don't think you were a terrible parent before," Tevos said, turning her face away from Aria's jacket so that her words would be audible. "You tried to do your best with what you knew then."

"I know more now." Aria smiled, gently letting go of Tevos and looking down at her. "And our kid is going to be amazing. She has to be, with some of you in her. And I won't be satisfied until I've trained her to kick Shepard and Liara's daughter's tiny blue ass."

Tevos laughed. "You never know. You might catch them kissing instead of sparring someday, if they're anything like us."

Aria covered her eyes with her hand and groaned. "Please. Don't say that. Don't even think that."

Taking pity on her bondmate, Tevos took her hand and began pulling her towards the door. "Come on. Let's go meet the newest T'Soni."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

It took Aria and Tevos a few minutes longer than expected to gain entrance to Liara's room. The nurse outside was surprisingly insistent that they wait, and did not seem at all intimidated by Aria's numerous glares. It was Tevos's skills as a mediator that eventually got them past the door, but only after promising that they wouldn't stay for more than a few minutes.

When they walked in, Liara was resting with a small blue bundle pressed against her naked chest. Somehow, Shepard had squeezed herself onto the hospital bed as well despite its narrowness. Her hand rubbed up and down her daughter's tiny back, covering it completely with her large palm. Neither of them seemed to care that they were cramped.

Aethyta was sitting next to them in a chair beside the bed, grinning proudly and resting one hand on Liara's shoulder as she stared down at her new granddaughter. She was the first to notice that Aria and Tevos had entered the room. "Liara's doing all right," she told them. "They didn't put her under completely when they did the surgery, but whatever they gave her when they cut her open was strong enough to make her a little loopy."

Liara blinked hazily at them, a large smile on her face. "Did you see her?" she asked, her words slightly thick on her tongue. "She's so beautiful." She placed her hand over Shepard's and laced their fingers together over their daughter's back. The baby kicked slightly, but otherwise remained still, seemingly content to rest under the weight of her parents' joined hands.

Although she normally wasn't one for sentimental feelings, Aria couldn't help being touched by the scene. Her friends looked happy. Content. Complete. So different than she had felt after Liselle's birth. For a moment, regret welled up in her chest, and memories came flooding back. She wished that Liselle's arrival into the world had been met with this same joy. She had loved Liselle, she could admit that more easily now, but Aria's feelings when she was born had been mixed at best. A large part of her had not wanted to be a parent. Seeing Shepard and Liara's smiles made her hope this time, with Tevos by her side, her younger daughter's arrival would be happier.

"She is beautiful," Aria agreed, ignoring Tevos's look of surprise. Her bondmate had probably been expecting a sarcastic comment, but right now, Aria couldn't bring herself to be anything less than genuine.

When Shepard shifted on the bed and motioned them closer, Aria felt Tevos take her hand and lead her forward. Standing next to the cot, she could see the baby's face more clearly. It was puffed up, and her crest was still soft and squishy on top of her head, sticking out in random directions. Her little eyes were hazy and unfocused, but the color was instantly recognizable: a brilliant emerald green, just like her father's. Aria smiled. She hoped that her own daughter would look at least a little bit like her, although she would hardly be disappointed if she took after Tevos instead.

Aria glanced over at her bondmate, feeling the grip on her hand tighten slightly. What she saw surprised her. Tevos was absolutely enthralled, looking down at the tiny bundle on Liara's chest with such love that Aria could sense it pouring from her. She was beaming, radiating happiness. Liara noticed and tried to prop herself up on the bed. She winced briefly with pain, and Shepard hurried to support her. She took their daughter, cradling her for a moment, and the tiny body was nearly lost in her muscular arms. "Do you want to hold her?" she asked, grinning as she offered the baby to Tevos.

Tevos's hand let go of Aria's, as if she was about to reach out, but she stopped herself. "I don't want to take her from you so soon," she said, although Aria could tell that she desperately wanted to accept.

Shepard ignored her and looked down at the baby. "It's fine. You want to meet Aunt Thea, don't you, sweetheart?" she cooed, and Aria almost laughed. Seeing Shepard, the most famous soldier in the galaxy, turn into mush around her kid was pretty ridiculous, even if it was also kind of sweet.

This time, when Shepard offered the baby, Tevos took her, holding the tiny bundle like she was afraid it would break. The expression of happiness and wonder returned to her face, and Aria suddenly didn't think Shepard's behavior was so silly anymore. She had to admit that Tevos looked pretty good with a baby in her arms. It suited her more than she had expected.

"She has your eyes, Shepard," Tevos said, stroking the baby's fat cheek. A tiny hand reached up, as if trying to touch the markings on the face peering down at her.

"I know," Liara said proudly, smiling as she watched her daughter being rocked. "I was hoping she would."

Tevos pressed a kiss to the top of the baby's crest. "Hello… Athena," she said, testing out the name. The baby shifted and punched its chubby fist back up in the air. "I'm your… what was the word you used, Shepard?"

"Aunt?" Shepard asked. "Oh, it's a human term. It's used for the sister of a child's parents."

"Then I'm your Aunt Thea," Tevos said as she cuddled Athena tighter to her chest. Then, she looked up, turning the full force of her smile on Aria. For a moment, Aria felt her heart stop. The love she could see on her bondmate's face was so powerful that she forgot to breathe.

When Tevos passed Athena to her, she was too dumbstruck to object until the bundle was already in her arms. She stared down at it in surprise, unsure what to do at first. Athena yawned, her feet kicking out as her eyes squinted shut. Then, she grabbed for the neck of Aria's leather jacket, folding her little fingers around the popped red collar. "Hey, kid," Aria said, although she didn't bother to remove the baby's hand from her precious jacket. "Watch the clothes." Athena ignored her. Her eyes remained closed, fingers securely wrapped around their prize.

Aria swallowed against the thickness growing in her throat, staring down at the baby napping comfortably in her arms. She was surprised to realize that she felt an instant connection to this tiny person, and for once, it didn't frighten her. Aria had spent centuries alone, isolating herself from all meaningful relationships. She had told herself it was safer that way - if she didn't care about anyone or anything, her enemies would have nothing to take from her.

But then she had given birth to Liselle. Fallen in love with Tevos. Become friends with Shepard and Liara. Held their daughter in her arms. Love had found her anyway, and she was stronger for it. She smiled. She would have more than enough to give her daughter when she was born.

"You know, kid," she said, watching Athena nuzzle further into her jacket, her pudgy hand flexing, "you have pretty good taste in clothing, even if you are drooling on it. Better than either of your lame parents. We'll work on that." Athena pawed at her briefly, but remained mostly asleep as Aria kissed her and passed her into her mother's arms. Liara smiled as she welcomed her daughter back, settling the baby onto her chest as she dozed.

"Thank you," Tevos whispered to them. She leaned down, giving Athena's back an affectionate stroke as she pressed a kiss beside Liara's lips. She did the same with Shepard, her smile still radiant as she pulled away. "Just… thank you for letting us…"

Shepard waved her off, settling back on the bed beside Liara. "She couldn't have better people watching out for her."

Aria reached out to take Tevos's hand, but the contact wasn't enough. She stepped behind her instead and wrapped her arms around Tevos's waist. "That… means a lot coming from you, Shepard," she admitted, blinking a little more rapidly than usual. She wanted to say more, to express how much it meant to her that Shepard trusted her to be a positive influence on her daughter's life, but the words wouldn't come. Fortunately, Shepard seemed to understand. She nodded once.

"This getting sappier than I expected," Aethyta drawled, smirking at Aria as she put her hand over her sleeping granddaughter's head. It wasn't quite as large as Shepard's, but still large enough to cover most of her soft crest. "Didn't expect you to be the type that gets emotional over babies."

"It's only going to get worse," Liara said. Her eyes were still a little hazy from the drugs, but her words were becoming clearer. She smiled at Tevos. "Wait until it's your turn."

Tevos blushed. Shepard's eyes widened. Aria glared. Aethyta stopped poking at the baby's squishy head long enough to burst out laughing. "I told you so!" she crowed triumphantly, ignoring the fact that her granddaughter was still napping. "I told you so, I said -"

"That it's none of your damn business," Aria said. She glowered at Aethyta, but the matriarch seemed completely unfazed.

"Well, it does explain the racket last night…"

Aria ignored Aethyta and fixed her accusatory gaze on Liara instead, ready to berate her for slipping up, but before she could start, she noticed that her friend's eyes were closed. Apparently, the events of the morning, combined with the drugs in her system, had completely exhausted her. She was passed out on the bed, one arm wrapped protectively around Athena as her head lolled back onto the pillow.

"It's not her fault," Tevos said gently, running her fingers up and down the sleeve of Aria's jacket. She could feel how tense Aria's muscles were through the material, and the protective grip around her was tighter than usual. "Liara can't be held accountable for her actions right now."

Shepard gave Tevos a grateful smile, and Aria sighed in resignation. "I know…"

Tevos squeezed her bondmate's elbow in reassurance and looked at Aethyta. "Feel free to tease us as much as you like -"

"Speak for yourself," Aria muttered.

"- but we want to keep this information private for while. It's far too early to make an announcement."

Aethyta snorted. "I don't need to tease you. The fact that this one is having a kid at all," she jabbed her thumb in Aria's direction, "is a punchline in and of itself."

Before Aria could say something, Tevos pulled out of her embrace, although she kept a grip on her right hand. "I think the two of us should give you and Liara time with the baby and get some breakfast," she told Shepard. "In fact, why don't we bring something back for you?"

Shepard slid one arm behind Liara's head, giving her a shoulder to rest on. "I'm sure she would appreciate that when she wakes up. And if I know her, she'll want pastries." She smiled down at her dozing bondmate and daughter. "Liara's had a bit of a sweet tooth lately."

"I know of a few bakeries nearby," Tevos said. "We'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"Bring more coffee," Aethyta called gruffly after them as they retreated to the safety of the hall.

"Goddess, I want to kill her sometimes," Aria muttered once the door closed behind them. She sighed, slumping against the wall and folding her arms across her chest, but not before adjusting the collar of the jacket that Athena had tugged out of place.

"You're smiling, though," Tevos pointed out, one hand on her hip.

Aria blinked. It took her a moment, but she realized that Tevos was right. "So? I'm allowed to smile once in a while." She let her eyes trail up and down appreciatively over Tevos's form, glad that she was wearing one of her clingier dresses. "It might have something to do with the amazing sex we had last night, and the fact that you're carrying my child right now."

"Technically, it's only a cluster of unformed cells right now," Tevos pointed out. "Not a child yet."

"Yeah, but you imprinted my DNA onto that cluster of cells. That means she's mine."

Tevos shook her head and smiled, offering Aria her arm. She felt her heart beat a little faster as Aria pushed off the wall in one smooth motion and took it. "Of course she'll be yours," Tevos said as they walked down the hall towards the elevator. "Just like I am."

"Do you think Liselle would be happy for us? Happy to have a sister, if she was still alive?" The question came out so suddenly that even Aria was surprised.

Tevos squeezed her arm tighter. "I do. You know that she loved you, Aria, for all your faults. And you loved her, even though I know you had trouble showing it sometimes."

"I'm going to do better this time," Aria insisted as they stepped onto the lift. "I'm better this time. You helped show me."

As the doors closed, Tevos turned and took Aria in her arms. "I love you," she said, lacing her hands behind Aria's head, running her fingers over the familiar leather material of her jacket.

Aria smiled and leaned down. Her answer was a kiss.

**The End**


End file.
